From pollution to reforestation: the hidden microbiome of Alnus glutinosa nodules over 30 years

Actinorhizal plants, such as Alnus glutinosa, play a critical role in ecosystem restoration, particularly in metal-contaminated soils, yet their nodule microbiome remains largely unexplored beyond Frankiaceae endosymbionts. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of A. glutinosa root nodules under heavy metal stress, focusing on a 30-year-old chronosequence planted upon opencast coal mine spoil. Microbial diversity analysis revealed that A. glutinosa nodules harbour a distinct and conserved microbiome, dominated by Frankiaceae but also enriched with plant growth-promoting bacteria such as Bradyrhizobium, Mycobacterium, and Actinoplanes. Additionally, despite similar beta diversity between the nodules and soil, significant compositional differences were observed, reinforcing the selective nature of the nodules. However, functional profiling indicated that metabolic pathways were largely shared between nodule and soil microbiomes. Overall, this study provides new insights into the resilience and specialisation of the A. glutinosa nodule microbiome and its potential role in bioremediation within heavy metal-contaminated environments.