Land-use- and climate-mediated variations in soil bacterial and fungal biomass across Europe and their driving factors

•Contents of soil bacterial and fungal biomass were quantified across Europe.•Land use and climate jointly control soil bacterial and fungal biomass.•Soil agricultural use buffers the impact of harsh climate conditions on bacteria.•Soil texture, organic carbon and nitrogen are predictors of soil microbial biomass.•Soil microbial biomass was not influenced by crop type in croplands.