Plant invasion reconstructs soil microbial assembly and functionality in coastal salt marshes

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Microbiology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Alien plant invasions significantly impact ecosystem processes.
• Understanding microbial community dynamics and functions under invasion is crucial.
• Salt marshes are vulnerable ecosystems susceptible to invasive species like smooth cordgrass.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate soil microbial communities and functions along an invasion gradient of smooth cordgrass.
• To elucidate the ecological mechanisms driving microbial community assembly and functional changes.
• To assess the implications of plant invasion on soil microbial metabolism and carbon accumulation.

Main Methods:

• High-throughput amplicon sequencing for microbial community analysis.
• GeoChip technology for assessing soil microbial functional genes.
• Chronological invasion gradient in Yellow River Estuary salt marshes.

Main Results:

• Microbial diversity positively correlated with invasion duration.
• Bacterial and fungal communities showed consistent shifts with invasion.
• Soil microbial metabolic potential decreased, leading to increased carbon accumulation.
• Distinct assembly processes for bacteria (selection, dispersal limitation) and fungi (stochastic).

Conclusions:

• Plant invasions alter soil microbial community structure and function.
• Invasion-induced decline in microbial metabolism facilitates carbon sequestration.
• Microbial community assembly and functions are taxon-specific.
• Invasive plants have profound effects on coastal wetland ecosystem processes.