Objective To investigate the differences in the structure and function of rhizosphere soil microbial communities between two dominant halophytes—Suaeda salsa and Phragmites australis—in Yuncheng Salt Lake Wetland and to reveal their associations with soil environmental factors, thereby providing a theoretical basis for the ecological restoration of saline-alkali wetlands. Methods Rhizosphere soil samples of S. salsa and P. australis, as well as bare beach soil sample without plant cover, were collected as research objects. Metagenomic sequencing was employed to analyze the microbial community structure and functional genes, and key soil physicochemical properties were determined. Results The total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, and Cl- concentration in the rhizosphere soils of S. salsa and the bare beach were higher than those in the rhizosphere of P. australis (P<0.05). The microbial diversity and abundance in the rhizosphere soils of both plant species were significantly higher than those in the bare beach soil. The bare beach soil was significantly enriched with the viral phylum Cressdnaviricota, while the rhizosphere soil of S. salsa was significantly enriched with the psychrophilic genus Algoriphagus. Both the rhizosphere soil of S. salsa and the bare beach soil showed co-enrichment of the genera Halomonas and Salegentibacter. TDS was the key factor driving the structures and functional distribution of soil microbial communities, with a contribution rate of 64.40%. Compared with the bare beach, the plant rhizospheres significantly increased the abundance of functional genes related to carbon (e.g., acdB and acs), nitrogen (e.g., gdh_K15371 and nasA), and sulfur (e.g., sudA and dmdB) cycling. Conclusion S. salsa and P. australis shape distinct rhizosphere microenvironments through different survival strategies, which enhance microbial diversity and the abundance of functional genes associated with element cycling, thereby improving the stability and functioning of the saline-alkali wetland ecosystem. This study provides a theoretical foundation for utilizing plant-microbe interactions in the bioremediation and sustainable agricultural use of saline-alkali land.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |