Work

Mechanisms of Rhizosphere Microbial Regulation on Ecosystem Multifunctionality Driven by Altitudinal Gradients in Hylodesmum podocarpum

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: , a field experiment was conducted across four elevation transects (a.s. 896-1805 m) in the Qinling Mountains. The results showed that rhizosphere soil exhibited peak microbial diversity richness at 1805 m (HB4), with bacterial communities showing a strong interspecific cooperative relationship, while the fungal communities showed a competitive relationship. In addition, this study found the assembly process to be different. Bacterial assemblages changed from random processes (HB1, HB2, HB3) to deterministic processes (HB4), whereas fungal assemblages remained stochastic processes across all elevations. Our results also revealed that synergistic interactions among soil carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen nutrient functions collectively enhanced nutrient-centered soil multifunctionality. Notably, carbon and phosphorus nutrient functions emerged as the primary drivers of soil multifunctionality. Further mechanistic analysis revealed that while soil pH exerted significant control over both carbon and nitrogen nutrient functions, microbial mediation exhibited functional specialization: bacterial communities predominantly regulated carbon cycling, whereas fungal communities played a more comprehensive role in modulating carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus dynamics along with overall ecosystem multifunctionality. This finding suggested that altitude gradients indirectly affect the characteristics of the microbial community by regulating soil nutrient status, thereby driving changes in ecosystem multifunctionality. This finding provides new insights into how nutrients regulate ecosystem functions through microbial pathways.

Source: Biology

DOI: 10.3390/biology14091126

Authors: Kunlun Liang, Li Wang, Lili Nian, Mingyan Wang, Yang Li, Zhuxin Mao

Institutions: Huanghe Science and Technology College, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xi'an Botanical Garden of Shaanxi Province

Language: English

Topic: Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics

Subfield: Soil Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,258