Land use changes alter microbial functional gene diversity and its relationship with soil ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical estuary

Land use change in coastal wetlands is often associated with microbial diversity and function, which plays a crucial role in mediating soil ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF). However, the linkage between microbial functional genes and soil EMF under different land uses requires further investigatio...

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Main Authors: Zi-Kai Liu, Lige Zhang, Shengsheng Jin, Hanxia Yu, Ji-Zheng He, Ju-Pei Shen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1592901/full
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author Zi-Kai Liu
Lige Zhang
Shengsheng Jin
Hanxia Yu
Ji-Zheng He
Ji-Zheng He
Ju-Pei Shen
Ju-Pei Shen
author_facet Zi-Kai Liu
Lige Zhang
Shengsheng Jin
Hanxia Yu
Ji-Zheng He
Ji-Zheng He
Ju-Pei Shen
Ju-Pei Shen
author_sort Zi-Kai Liu
collection DOAJ
description Land use change in coastal wetlands is often associated with microbial diversity and function, which plays a crucial role in mediating soil ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF). However, the linkage between microbial functional genes and soil EMF under different land uses requires further investigation. This study investigated the relative abundance and community structure of microbial functional genes associated with carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) cycling and their relationship with soil EMF across five different land uses (reed wetland, tidal flat, grassland, agricultural land and fallow land) in the Min River Estuary using high-throughput quantitative PCR technique. Results showed that microbial functional gene composition changed significantly across different land uses. Soil electrical conductivity (EC) ranged from 5.73 mS/cm (tidal flat) to 0.29 mS/cm (fallow land), driving significant shifts in microbial functional gene composition. Soil EMF exhibited a U-shaped trend across reed wetlands, tidal flats, grasslands, agricultural lands, and fallow lands, with the lowest in grasslands and peaking in fallow lands. Random forest analysis indicated that soil EC as the most influential environmental factor shaping microbial functional gene compositions, while functional gene richness directly correlated with EMF. Notably, soil EC modulates the relationship between microbial functional gene compositions and EMF. These findings enhance our understanding of soil EMF variations across different coastal land uses and underscore the need to integrate microbial functionality into coastal wetland management.
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publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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spelling doaj-art-0fd003937c95466bb5e2b34e40d972762025-08-20T02:05:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-06-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.15929011592901Land use changes alter microbial functional gene diversity and its relationship with soil ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical estuaryZi-Kai Liu0Lige Zhang1Shengsheng Jin2Hanxia Yu3Ji-Zheng He4Ji-Zheng He5Ju-Pei Shen6Ju-Pei Shen7Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process of Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, ChinaKey Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process of Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, ChinaKey Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process of Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, ChinaKey Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process of Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, ChinaKey Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process of Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, ChinaSchool of Geographical Sciences/School of Carbon Neutrality Future Technology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, ChinaKey Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process of Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, ChinaSchool of Geographical Sciences/School of Carbon Neutrality Future Technology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, ChinaLand use change in coastal wetlands is often associated with microbial diversity and function, which plays a crucial role in mediating soil ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF). However, the linkage between microbial functional genes and soil EMF under different land uses requires further investigation. This study investigated the relative abundance and community structure of microbial functional genes associated with carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) cycling and their relationship with soil EMF across five different land uses (reed wetland, tidal flat, grassland, agricultural land and fallow land) in the Min River Estuary using high-throughput quantitative PCR technique. Results showed that microbial functional gene composition changed significantly across different land uses. Soil electrical conductivity (EC) ranged from 5.73 mS/cm (tidal flat) to 0.29 mS/cm (fallow land), driving significant shifts in microbial functional gene composition. Soil EMF exhibited a U-shaped trend across reed wetlands, tidal flats, grasslands, agricultural lands, and fallow lands, with the lowest in grasslands and peaking in fallow lands. Random forest analysis indicated that soil EC as the most influential environmental factor shaping microbial functional gene compositions, while functional gene richness directly correlated with EMF. Notably, soil EC modulates the relationship between microbial functional gene compositions and EMF. These findings enhance our understanding of soil EMF variations across different coastal land uses and underscore the need to integrate microbial functionality into coastal wetland management.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1592901/fullcoastal wetlandecosystem multifunctionalityland usemicrobial functional genesalinity
spellingShingle Zi-Kai Liu
Lige Zhang
Shengsheng Jin
Hanxia Yu
Ji-Zheng He
Ji-Zheng He
Ju-Pei Shen
Ju-Pei Shen
Land use changes alter microbial functional gene diversity and its relationship with soil ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical estuary
Frontiers in Microbiology
coastal wetland
ecosystem multifunctionality
land use
microbial functional gene
salinity
title Land use changes alter microbial functional gene diversity and its relationship with soil ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical estuary
title_full Land use changes alter microbial functional gene diversity and its relationship with soil ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical estuary
title_fullStr Land use changes alter microbial functional gene diversity and its relationship with soil ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical estuary
title_full_unstemmed Land use changes alter microbial functional gene diversity and its relationship with soil ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical estuary
title_short Land use changes alter microbial functional gene diversity and its relationship with soil ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical estuary
title_sort land use changes alter microbial functional gene diversity and its relationship with soil ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical estuary
topic coastal wetland
ecosystem multifunctionality
land use
microbial functional gene
salinity
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1592901/full
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