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Updated: Jun 4, 2025

Isolation and Analysis of Microbial Communities in Soil, Rhizosphere, and Roots in Perennial Grass Experiments
Published on: July 24, 2018
Microbial functional genes play crucial roles in enhancing soil nutrient availability of halophyte rhizospheres in
Meng Liang1, Yang Wu2, Yaokun Jiang1
1The Research Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Education, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Abstract:
Land degradation due to salinization threatens ecosystem health. Phytoremediation, facilitated by functional microorganisms, has gained attention for improving saline-alkali soils. However, the relationship between the functional potential of rhizosphere microbes involved in multi-element cycling and soil nutrient pools remain unclear. This study focused on the changes in functional genes related to carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycling in the rhizospheres of various halophytes and bulk soil in the grassland ecosystem of Chaka Salt Lake, Qinghai Province, China. Our evaluation of plant and soil characteristics revealed that halophyte growth increased soil hydrolase activity and nutrient levels, particularly available N. Significant differences were observed in foliage and root nutrients, rhizosphere soil properties, and microbial functional gene composition among plant species. Halophytes significantly altered the abundance of genes involved in C fixation (Calvin and DC/4-HB cycles), C degradation (starch, hemicellulose, cellulose, and pectin degradation), dissimilatory nitrate reduction (nirB), ammonification (ureC), organic P mineralization (phoA and ugpQ), P transport (phnE), and inorganic P dissolution (ppk1). C, N, and P cycling processes were closely related to soil N nutrients, available nutrient ratios, and C/N-cycling enzyme activities. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) analysis showed that microbial functional genes were directly associated with soil nutrient availability, with soil and plant variables indirectly affecting nutrient pools through the regulation of these genes. These findings enhance our understanding of the biochemical cycling in halophyte rhizospheres and highlight the role of microbial functional genes in saline-alkali soil restoration.
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