Microbial Community Composition of Explosive-Contaminated Soils: A Metataxonomic Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Environmental microbiology
• Soil science
• Bioremediation

Background:

• Munition disposal significantly impacts soil health and microbial composition.
• Explosive contamination disrupts microbial communities, affecting abundance and richness.
• Understanding these changes is crucial for identifying bioremediation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate microbial diversity in soils and roots from ammunition disposal sites.
• To identify microbial taxa potentially involved in the bioremediation of explosive-contaminated environments.
• To assess the impact of different disposal methods on microbial communities.

Main Methods:

• Collected soil and root samples from open burning, open detonation, and unpolluted sites.
• Utilized high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene for bacteria and ITS region for fungi and plants.
• Analyzed taxonomic profiles and performed diversity analyses (alpha and beta).

Main Results:

• Significant variations in bacterial, fungal, and plant communities were observed between polluted and unpolluted sites.
• Bacterial genera like *Pseudarthrobacter* and *Pseudomonas* were abundant in roots; *Candidatus Udaeobacter* dominated unpolluted soils.
• Site, year, and sample type significantly influenced microbial community structure, with site being the most critical factor.

Conclusions:

• Differentially abundant taxa, including *Pseudarthrobacter* and *Paraleptosphaeria*, may facilitate natural attenuation in explosive-contaminated soils.
• Specific microbial communities possess the potential to aid in the restoration of explosive-contaminated environments.
• This study underscores the importance of microbial ecology in understanding and managing contaminated sites.