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Functional restructuring of the global soil microbiome under multiple stressors
Ruirui Chen1, Shuhong Luo2,3, Youzhi Feng4
1State Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Forest Food Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China.
Nature Communications
|May 19, 2026
Summary
Global environmental changes significantly alter soil microbes. Up to 60% of microbial functional genes shift under multiple stressors, impacting soil functions and energy reallocation.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Soil Science
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Soil microbes are crucial for global soil functions.
- Environmental stressors from global change threaten microbial diversity and function.
- Impacts of multiple stressors on soil microbial functional profiles remain poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of multiple environmental stressors on soil microbial functional gene profiles.
- To understand the consequences of these shifts for soil functionality.
- To analyze global-scale soil metagenomics data in relation to environmental stressors.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of two global-scale datasets.
- Examination of soil metagenomic data.
- Correlation of microbial functional genes with multiple environmental stressors.
Main Results:
- Up to 60% of functional genes in soil microbes shifted under high-level concurrent stressors globally.
- Genes related to microbial growth decreased with increasing stressors.
- Genes associated with stress resistance and energy production increased with stressors.
Conclusions:
- Multiple environmental stressors cause significant restructuring of global soil functional microbiomes.
- This restructuring impacts matter and energy reallocation within soil communities.
- Soil functionality is threatened by these microbial shifts under projected global change.
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