Relationships between high-concentration toxic metals in sediment and evolution of microbial community structure and...

Microorganisms are highly sensitive to toxic metal pollution and play an important role in the material cycling and energy flow of the water ecosystem. Herein, 13 sediment samples from Junchong Reservoir (Guangxi Province, China) were collected in December 2021. The spatial distribution of pollution levels for toxic metals and the effects of toxic metals on the composition, functional characteristics, and metabolism of microorganisms were investigated. The results demonstrated that the area is a proximate area to industrial zones with severity of toxic metal pollution. Their mean concentrations of As, Cu, Zn, and Pb were up to 128.79 mg/kg, 57.62 mg/kg, 594.77 mg/kg, and 97.12 mg/kg respectively. There was a strong correlation between As, Cu, Zn, and Pb, with the highest correlation coefficient reaching 0.94. As the level of toxic metal pollution increases, the diversity and abundance of microorganisms gradually decrease. Compared to those with lower pollution levels, the Shannon index in regions with higher pollution levels decreases by up to 0.373, and the Chao index decreases by up to 143.507. However, the relative abundance of Bacteroidota, Patescibacteria, and Chloroflexi increased by 23%, 20%, and 5%, respectively, indicating their higher adaptability to toxic metals. Furthermore, microbial carbon and nitrogen metabolism were also affected by the presence of toxic metals. FAPROTAX analysis demonstrated an abundant reduction of ecologically functional groups associated with carbon and nitrogen transformations under high toxic metal pollution levels. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that carbon fixation and nitrogen metabolism pathways were inhibited with increasing toxic metal concentrations. These findings would contribute to a better understanding of the effects of toxic metal pollution on sediment microbial communities and function, shedding light on the ecological consequences of toxic metal contamination.