Understanding the influence of afforestation on soil microorganisms, the major drivers of soil processes, is essential for maintaining soil health and sustainability. However, in a desert-oasis ecotone, variations in the microbial community along shrub afforestation years remain unclear. We conducted a metagenomic analysis to study the temporal changes in microbial community structure in 0–100 cm soil following 3-, 7-, and 10-year afforestation of Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb. on the southern edge of the Taklimakan Desert. Compared to the unreclaimed desert land, in 3-year or 7-year stands, soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrate nitrogen, available phosphorus and potassium (AK) contents significantly increased on average by 60%, 852%, 72%, and 299%, respectively. Soil archaeal and bacterial community composition were significantly affected by afforestation; their α-diversity increased on average by 5.9% and 11.1%, respectively, after afforestation, showing a unimodal pattern along afforestation years. In contrast, fungal α-diversity and community composition did not show significant variation over the afforestation period. The influence of AK outweighed that of SOC and other nutrients on soil microbial community composition. These findings suggest that T. ramosissima afforestation in the desert-oasis ecotone has significant impacts on the community composition and α-diversity of archaea and bacteria, but not fungi, by modifying soil physicochemical properties. This research provides valuable implications for soil management and microbial processes related to the afforestation of salt-secreting shrubs.

中文翻译：

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沙漠地区柽柳造林的土壤微生物群落动态：宏基因组见解


了解造林对土壤微生物（土壤过程的主要驱动因素）的影响对于维持土壤健康和可持续性至关重要。然而，在沙漠-绿洲交错带中，灌木造林年份中微生物群落的变化仍不清楚。我们进行了宏基因组分析，以研究柽柳造林 3 年、7 年和 10 年后 0-100 厘米土壤中微生物群落结构的时间变化。位于塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘。与未开垦荒漠地相比，3年或7年土壤有机碳（SOC）、硝态氮、速效磷、速效钾（AK）含量平均显着增加60%、852%、72%和分别为 299%。土壤古菌和细菌群落组成受造林影响显着；造林后α多样性平均分别增加5.9%和11.1%，随造林年限呈单峰分布。相比之下，造林期间真菌α多样性和群落组成没有表现出显着变化。 AK对土壤微生物群落组成的影响超过了SOC和其他养分。这些发现表明，沙漠-绿洲交错带的T. ramosissima造林通过改变土壤理化性质，对古细菌和细菌的群落组成和α多样性产生显着影响，但对真菌没有影响。这项研究为与泌盐灌木造林相关的土壤管理和微生物过程提供了宝贵的启示。