Soil microbial networks’ complexity as a primary driver of multifunctionality in photovoltaic power plants in the northwest region of China

IntroductionExploiting photovoltaic power generation as a novel source of clean energy has become increasingly common in recent times. Nevertheless, the impact of photovoltaic power plants (PVs) on soil microbial activity and several functions is unclear.MethodsThe present investigation aims to coll...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Liuqing Zhao, Sumeng Xu, Jinmei Zhao, Shujuan Chen, Xiaolong Liu, Xiuyuan Zheng, Xiuhui Wang, Zhao Zhu, Fei Gao, Bingzhe Fu, Shuxia Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1579497/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850178463777947648
author Liuqing Zhao
Sumeng Xu
Sumeng Xu
Jinmei Zhao
Shujuan Chen
Xiaolong Liu
Xiuyuan Zheng
Xiuhui Wang
Zhao Zhu
Fei Gao
Bingzhe Fu
Shuxia Li
author_facet Liuqing Zhao
Sumeng Xu
Sumeng Xu
Jinmei Zhao
Shujuan Chen
Xiaolong Liu
Xiuyuan Zheng
Xiuhui Wang
Zhao Zhu
Fei Gao
Bingzhe Fu
Shuxia Li
author_sort Liuqing Zhao
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionExploiting photovoltaic power generation as a novel source of clean energy has become increasingly common in recent times. Nevertheless, the impact of photovoltaic power plants (PVs) on soil microbial activity and several functions is unclear.MethodsThe present investigation aims to collect soil samples from photovoltaic power plants in arid and semi-arid regions with different years of construction, determine the physicochemical properties of the soil, and employ high-throughput sequencing to obtain 16S rRNA and ITS genes from the PV. This approach examines the community composition of bacteria and fungi in plant soils. This dataset is adopted to explore the role of soil physicochemical characteristics and climatic factors in the variousness and complexness of the network of soil microbial communities in PVs.ResultsThe findings reveal that soil physicochemical properties exhibit a gradual increase over time, with bacterial and fungal diversity showing a corresponding gradual increase and reaching a maximum over a period of 5–10 years. Furthermore, it is observed that the topological properties of the microbial network underwent significant changes driven by microbial diversity. Bacterial and fungal diversity as well as network complexity also display positive and negative correlations, respectively. A positive and significant correlation is detected between the bacterial network complexity and the soil multifunctionality, whereas a substantial negative correlation is observed between the fungal network complexity and the soil multifunctionality.DiscussionIn conclusion the environment is able to directly regulate soil microbial diversity, thereby affecting network complexity and driving soil multifunctionality. Such discoveries are aimed to have crucial ecological implications for predicting environmental-soil-microbial effects on soil multifunctionality in photovoltaic zones.
format Article
id doaj-art-dcb25b6e1bb04d8b896e0b3fb0480d93
institution OA Journals
issn 1664-302X
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Microbiology
spelling doaj-art-dcb25b6e1bb04d8b896e0b3fb0480d932025-08-20T02:18:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-04-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.15794971579497Soil microbial networks’ complexity as a primary driver of multifunctionality in photovoltaic power plants in the northwest region of ChinaLiuqing Zhao0Sumeng Xu1Sumeng Xu2Jinmei Zhao3Shujuan Chen4Xiaolong Liu5Xiuyuan Zheng6Xiuhui Wang7Zhao Zhu8Fei Gao9Bingzhe Fu10Shuxia Li11Natural Resources Assets Statistics and Accounting Center of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, Ningxia, ChinaCollege of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang, Shaanxi, ChinaHorticultural Technology Extension Station of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, Ningxia, ChinaNatural Resources Assets Statistics and Accounting Center of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, Ningxia, ChinaNatural Resources Assets Statistics and Accounting Center of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, Ningxia, ChinaNatural Resources Assets Statistics and Accounting Center of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, Ningxia, ChinaNatural Resources Assets Statistics and Accounting Center of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, Ningxia, ChinaNatural Resources Information Center of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, Ningxia, ChinaNatural Resources Assets Statistics and Accounting Center of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, Ningxia, ChinaNatural Resources Assets Statistics and Accounting Center of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, Ningxia, ChinaCollege of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, ChinaCollege of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, ChinaIntroductionExploiting photovoltaic power generation as a novel source of clean energy has become increasingly common in recent times. Nevertheless, the impact of photovoltaic power plants (PVs) on soil microbial activity and several functions is unclear.MethodsThe present investigation aims to collect soil samples from photovoltaic power plants in arid and semi-arid regions with different years of construction, determine the physicochemical properties of the soil, and employ high-throughput sequencing to obtain 16S rRNA and ITS genes from the PV. This approach examines the community composition of bacteria and fungi in plant soils. This dataset is adopted to explore the role of soil physicochemical characteristics and climatic factors in the variousness and complexness of the network of soil microbial communities in PVs.ResultsThe findings reveal that soil physicochemical properties exhibit a gradual increase over time, with bacterial and fungal diversity showing a corresponding gradual increase and reaching a maximum over a period of 5–10 years. Furthermore, it is observed that the topological properties of the microbial network underwent significant changes driven by microbial diversity. Bacterial and fungal diversity as well as network complexity also display positive and negative correlations, respectively. A positive and significant correlation is detected between the bacterial network complexity and the soil multifunctionality, whereas a substantial negative correlation is observed between the fungal network complexity and the soil multifunctionality.DiscussionIn conclusion the environment is able to directly regulate soil microbial diversity, thereby affecting network complexity and driving soil multifunctionality. Such discoveries are aimed to have crucial ecological implications for predicting environmental-soil-microbial effects on soil multifunctionality in photovoltaic zones.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1579497/fullphotovoltaic power plants (PVs)bacterial diversityfungal diversitymicrobial network complexitysoil multifunctionality
spellingShingle Liuqing Zhao
Sumeng Xu
Sumeng Xu
Jinmei Zhao
Shujuan Chen
Xiaolong Liu
Xiuyuan Zheng
Xiuhui Wang
Zhao Zhu
Fei Gao
Bingzhe Fu
Shuxia Li
Soil microbial networks’ complexity as a primary driver of multifunctionality in photovoltaic power plants in the northwest region of China
Frontiers in Microbiology
photovoltaic power plants (PVs)
bacterial diversity
fungal diversity
microbial network complexity
soil multifunctionality
title Soil microbial networks’ complexity as a primary driver of multifunctionality in photovoltaic power plants in the northwest region of China
title_full Soil microbial networks’ complexity as a primary driver of multifunctionality in photovoltaic power plants in the northwest region of China
title_fullStr Soil microbial networks’ complexity as a primary driver of multifunctionality in photovoltaic power plants in the northwest region of China
title_full_unstemmed Soil microbial networks’ complexity as a primary driver of multifunctionality in photovoltaic power plants in the northwest region of China
title_short Soil microbial networks’ complexity as a primary driver of multifunctionality in photovoltaic power plants in the northwest region of China
title_sort soil microbial networks complexity as a primary driver of multifunctionality in photovoltaic power plants in the northwest region of china
topic photovoltaic power plants (PVs)
bacterial diversity
fungal diversity
microbial network complexity
soil multifunctionality
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1579497/full
work_keys_str_mv AT liuqingzhao soilmicrobialnetworkscomplexityasaprimarydriverofmultifunctionalityinphotovoltaicpowerplantsinthenorthwestregionofchina
AT sumengxu soilmicrobialnetworkscomplexityasaprimarydriverofmultifunctionalityinphotovoltaicpowerplantsinthenorthwestregionofchina
AT sumengxu soilmicrobialnetworkscomplexityasaprimarydriverofmultifunctionalityinphotovoltaicpowerplantsinthenorthwestregionofchina
AT jinmeizhao soilmicrobialnetworkscomplexityasaprimarydriverofmultifunctionalityinphotovoltaicpowerplantsinthenorthwestregionofchina
AT shujuanchen soilmicrobialnetworkscomplexityasaprimarydriverofmultifunctionalityinphotovoltaicpowerplantsinthenorthwestregionofchina
AT xiaolongliu soilmicrobialnetworkscomplexityasaprimarydriverofmultifunctionalityinphotovoltaicpowerplantsinthenorthwestregionofchina
AT xiuyuanzheng soilmicrobialnetworkscomplexityasaprimarydriverofmultifunctionalityinphotovoltaicpowerplantsinthenorthwestregionofchina
AT xiuhuiwang soilmicrobialnetworkscomplexityasaprimarydriverofmultifunctionalityinphotovoltaicpowerplantsinthenorthwestregionofchina
AT zhaozhu soilmicrobialnetworkscomplexityasaprimarydriverofmultifunctionalityinphotovoltaicpowerplantsinthenorthwestregionofchina
AT feigao soilmicrobialnetworkscomplexityasaprimarydriverofmultifunctionalityinphotovoltaicpowerplantsinthenorthwestregionofchina
AT bingzhefu soilmicrobialnetworkscomplexityasaprimarydriverofmultifunctionalityinphotovoltaicpowerplantsinthenorthwestregionofchina
AT shuxiali soilmicrobialnetworkscomplexityasaprimarydriverofmultifunctionalityinphotovoltaicpowerplantsinthenorthwestregionofchina