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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (8): 109-122.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024367

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Differences in soil microbial functional gene abundance between rhizosphere soils of Haloxylon ammodendron and Tamarix chinensis in the Junggar Desert

Hong-yu MA1,2(), Xiao-guo ZHOU1,2, Bao WANG1,2, Yu-chuan SONG1,2, Aikeremu·Abulatijiang1,2, Shao-li JIANG1,2, Jiu-zhou MIN1,2, Hong-mei ZHAO1,2, Jun-hui CHENG1,2()   

  1. 1.College of Resources and Environment of Xinjiang Agricultural University,Urumqi 830052,China
    2.Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Soil and Plant Ecological Processes,Urumqi 830052,China
  • Received:2024-09-25 Revised:2024-11-11 Online:2025-08-20 Published:2025-06-16
  • Contact: Jun-hui CHENG

Abstract:

Many studies have demonstrated that in terrestrial ecosystems, nutrient cycling is tightly linked with soil microbial functional gene abundance (SMFGA). However, our understanding of the variations in SMFGA in rhizosphere soils among shrubs in desert ecosystems is still limited. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of SMFGA in the rhizosphere of two dominant coexisting shrubs in the Junggar Desert, Haloxylon ammodendron and Tamarix chinensis. Bulk soil and rhizosphere soil samples were collected from the surface layer (0-10 cm) around H. ammodendron and T. chinensis. In total, 67 microbial functional genes involved in soil carbon-, nitrogen-, and phosphorus-cycling were detected via metagenomic sequencing. We then explored the linkages among SMFGA, soil physical and chemical properties (soil bulk density, pH, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium), and microbial diversity in the rhizosphere soils. The results show that: 1) Compared with bulk soils, rhizosphere soils of H. ammodendron and T. chinensis had relatively higher contents of available nutrients (ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, and available phosphorus). 2) The Shannon-Wiener index of bacterial diversity was significantly higher in rhizosphere soils of H. ammodendron and T. chinensis than in the bulk soils, but the fungal Shannon-Wiener index was only significantly higher in the rhizosphere soil of H. ammodendron. 3) Six of the 15 microbial genes related to carbon cycling (pulAnplTchitinasenagAbglB, and bglX), two of the 17 microbial genes related to nitrogen cycling (nrfH and napB), and eight of the 35 microbial genes related to phosphorus cycling (gcdphnGphnHphnIphnLphnAphnJ, and phnM) had higher relative abundance in the rhizosphere soils of H. ammodendron and T. chinensis than in the bulk soils. 4) The abundance of microbial genes involved in nitrogen- and phosphorus-cycling in the rhizosphere soils was positively related to available potassium and soil pH, but no significant associations were detected between microbial genes involved in carbon-cycling and soil physical properties, soil chemical properties, or microbial diversity. In summary, shrubs’ rhizospheres affect the abundance of microbial functional genes, which are linked with soil physical and chemical properties and microbial diversity in this desert ecosystem.

Key words: soil microbial functional gene abundance, rhizosphere soil, shrubs, desert ecosystem