Rhizosphere最新文献

{"title":"Hyphosphere metabolic reprogramming in lipids and aromatic amino acids drives differential mycorrhizal growth promotion in trifoliate orange","authors":"Hao-Ran Jiang ,&nbsp;Wan-Lin Fu ,&nbsp;Ci Deng ,&nbsp;Ying-Ning Zou ,&nbsp;Mashael Daghash Alqahtani ,&nbsp;Qiang-Sheng Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101280","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101280","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi play a crucial role in plant growth and ecosystem functioning by regulating the rhizosphere microenvironment through their extensive extraradical hyphal networks. However, hyphal exudates are intimately mixed with root deposits and native organic matter in natural soil, making it difficult to isolate the specific chemical contributions of the hyphae themselves. To directly investigate the regulatory effects of extraradical hyphae from different AM fungi on the microenvironment, this study used trifoliate orange colonized by <em>Funneliformis mosseae</em> (<em>Fm</em>) and <em>Rhizophagus intraradices</em> (<em>Ri</em>) in a two-compartment rootbox where the root and hyphal compartments were separated by a 37 μm nylon mesh, with the hyphal compartment filled with high-temperature-ashed (550 °C for 24 h) sand to eliminate organic matter interference. The <em>Fm</em> treatment showed higher root colonization and greater soil hyphal length in the root compartment compared to <em>Ri</em>, although the nylon mesh barrier restricted hyphal extension into the hyphal compartment. Inoculation with either fungus significantly increased leaf, stem, and root biomass, with <em>Ri</em> promoting significantly greater biomass accumulation across all tissues than <em>Fm</em>. Untargeted metabolomic analysis of the sand matrix from the hyphal compartment identified 588 differential metabolites across all pairwise comparisons. The number and regulation pattern of these metabolites varied significantly, with the control vs <em>Fm</em> comparison showing 481 differential metabolites (162 upregulated and 319 downregulated), control vs <em>Ri</em> having 504 (213 upregulated and 291 downregulated), and <em>Fm</em> vs <em>Ri</em> yielding 448 (312 upregulated and 136 downregulated). Notably, the polyacetylene lobetyolin was upregulated specifically in the <em>Fm vs Ri</em> comparison, while the oxylipin 11-oxatetradecanoic acid was downregulated in the same contrast. The chalcone derivative 5′-fluoro-2′-hydroxy-4-methylchalcone showed divergent regulation, being downregulated in control vs <em>Fm</em> but upregulated in <em>Fm vs Ri</em>, highlighting comparison-specific metabolic reprogramming. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that these differential metabolites were significantly enriched in key pathways including phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis (the shikimate pathway), fatty acid biosynthesis, unsaturated fatty acid metabolism, and folate metabolism. Notably, <em>Ri</em> treatment exhibited stronger enrichment in unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis and ubiquinone metabolism compared to <em>Fm</em>. The findings reveal that species-specific hyphosphere metabolic reprogramming, particularly in lipids and aromatic amino acids, rather than colonization extent, determines the differential growth promotion of trifoliate orange by AM fungi.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101280"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic effects of calcium lignosulfonate and microorganisms on saline-alkali leachate remediation: Enhancing plant growth and shaping rhizosphere microbial communities","authors":"Zengpeng Chen ,&nbsp;Qun zhong Meng ,&nbsp;Yifan Liu ,&nbsp;Liang Song ,&nbsp;Minghua Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101284","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101284","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The extent of saline-alkali land poses a significant threat to global agricultural productivity and environmental ecosystems, emphasizing the growing need for remediation efforts. Hydraulic improvement, the major technology currently employed in saline-alkali land rehabilitation, efficiently enables quick desalination. However, the leaching process produces significant amounts of saline-alkali leachate (SAL). If discarded directly, it leads to the wasteful consumption of water resources, groundwater pollution, and secondary salinization, posing serious environmental dangers. As a result, addressing the inherent technological limitations and improving water resource recycling are crucial for sustainable management. This study presents a hydroponic system that combines calcium lignosulfonate (CLS) with microorganisms (MO) for the ecological treatment of SAL. The effects of the synergistic treatment on the physicochemical properties of SAL, rice physiological morphology, and microbial composition were comprehensively assessed. The results showed that the synergistic treatment decreased the pH and electrical conductivity (EC) of SAL by 8.21 %–25.88 %. The height of rice plants, leaf number, stem diameter, biomass, root length, nitrogen uptake, chlorophyll, and soluble protein content increased by 24.50 %–102.50 %. Reductions in osmoprotectants (22.82 %–38.29 %), lipid peroxidation production (42.17 %), and antioxidant enzyme activity (16.90 %–27.63 %) were observed. Furthermore, the treatment reshapes the aquatic rhizosphere microbial community structure, fosters closer mutualistic relationships, and may alter microbial community functions. These findings suggest that this treatment may be an effective and environmentally friendly option for improving plant growth in saline-alkali environments, providing a scalable technical pathway for the resource utilization of SAL.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101284"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Linking root fungal endophytes to forest decline and management regimes in long-established Black pine stands","authors":"Luisa M. Manici ,&nbsp;Alessandro Paletto ,&nbsp;Francesco Caputo ,&nbsp;Claudia Becagli ,&nbsp;Isabella De Meo","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101278","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101278","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Non-mycorrhizal root endophytes often exist as harmless commensals but can turn pathogenic under host stress or aging. This study applies this behaviour to assess the health of a long-term <em>Pinus nigra</em> stand by analysing its fungal endophyte communities. A total of 744 fungal isolates were obtained from healthy feeder roots using culture-based methods in a pilot area of long-established black pine stands in southern Europe. They were identified on morphological traits and nucleotide sequencing in the ITS and histone-3 regions. The Dominance (64 %) of three potentially pathogenic species out of a total of 23 identified, i.e. <em>Dactylonectria torresensis</em>, <em>Diaporthe columnaris</em> and <em>Biscogniauxia mediterranea</em> indicated general declining tree health and compromised tree vigor.</div><div>There was no significant difference in fungal α-diversity between the two thinning techniques implemented eight years earlier, which had different impacts on wood biomass production and reforestation with native species. Conversely, significant changes in fungal species composition were observed primarily affecting the relative abundance of Diaporthe spp. and Cylindrocarpon-like fungi. Diaporthe spp. significantly increased under the innovative selective thinning which resulted in an improvement of biomass production as compared to traditional thinning techniques which increased Cylindrocarpon-like fungi. Conversely, <em>Xylariaceae (B</em>. <em>mediterranea)</em>, dark septate fungi (<em>Cadophora</em> sp., <em>Didymella aeria</em> and other 5 species), and mitosporic fungi (mainly <em>Penicillium</em>, <em>Trichoderma</em>, and <em>Fusarium</em> spp.) were unaffected by management and showed similar frequencies across treatments.</div><div>Overall, non-mycorrhizal root endophytes proved to be sensitive ecological indicators of forest health and management-driven changes offering valuable insights into the mechanisms that support pine forest health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101278"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An overlooked synergy: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and increased accumulation of plant saponins","authors":"Eduarda Lins Falcão ,&nbsp;João Gabriel Lira de Carvalho ,&nbsp;Jackson Roberto Guedes da Silva Almeida ,&nbsp;Qiang-Sheng Wu ,&nbsp;Fábio Sérgio Barbosa da Silva","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101274","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) has been recognized as an effective strategy to increase the accumulation of plant secondary metabolites. However, the role of this approach in promoting saponin production, molecules with broad applications across various industrial sectors, has received limited attention. Thus, this opinion paper aimed to synthesize studies that have investigated AMF inoculation to improve saponin accumulation. Thirty-five relevant publications on this topic were selected and their key findings were highlighted, such as the most frequently studied plant and AMF genera, and whether bioactivities were evaluated. The results underscore the potential of AMF in saponin biosynthesis, while also identifying research gaps that need to be addressed to enable large-scale application of this technology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101274"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative taxonomic and functional profiling of rhizosphere and root endophytic bacterial communities in the mangrove Rhizophora apiculata","authors":"K.A. Wafha ,&nbsp;K. Devika Raj ,&nbsp;Anas Abdulaziz ,&nbsp;Baby Divya","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101276","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101276","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The diverse bacterial community present in various compartments of the mangrove, including, rhizosphere, rhizoplane, phyllosphere and endosphere, reflects a vital ecological function necessary for thriving in conditions characterised by high salinity, tidal fluctuations, and waterlogging. This study employed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (metabarcoding) using the Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology for the comprehensive analysis of bacterial diversity and its ecosystem functioning within the rhizosphere compartment (RC) and root endophytic compartment (EC) of the salt-tolerant mangrove species <em>Rhizophora apiculata</em>. This study revealed significantly higher bacterial diversity in the RC compared to that found in the EC, as assessed by both α-diversity and β-diversity metrices. The taxonomic analysis identified a total of 58 bacterial phyla, belonging to 163 classes, 419 orders, 672 families, 1187 genera and 2559 species in both the compartments. The five predominant bacterial phyla identified were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, Bacteroidota, Patescibacteria and Desulfobacteriota. Among these phyla, Proteobacteria were the most abundant in both RC and EC, followed by Desulfobacteriota in the EC and Acidobacteriota in the RC. Furthermore, a core set of abundant bacterial genera was observed in both the endophytic and rhizospheric communities. These genera hitherto play essential roles in nutrient cycling, pollutant degradation and the maintenance of ecosystem stability. The dominant genera were <em>Sulfurifustis</em>, <em>Spirochaeta</em>, <em>Novosphingobium</em>, <em>Candidatus Moranbacteria</em>, <em>Lacunisphaera</em>, <em>Candidatus Kaiserbacteria</em>, <em>Ignavibacterium</em>, <em>Dongia</em> and <em>Candidatus</em> sp. Computational predictions indicated that the metabolic versatility associated with the functional genes included cellular processes, nutrient metabolism and genetic information processing. Endosphere associated bacteria are linked to s adaptive microbial strategies whereas rhizosphere communities drive organic matter turn over, redox regulation and environmental buffering. This study explores the complexassociation between <em>Rhizophora apiculata</em> and its associated bacteriome and offers valuable insights into this relationship.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101276"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Continuous cropping obstacle in Ganoderma lucidum is driven by antagonistic bacterial enrichment and soil bacterial community imbalance","authors":"Xiaomeng Lv,&nbsp;Xiaofang He,&nbsp;Yuting Zhuang,&nbsp;Jinxiang Zhang,&nbsp;Jianhui Chen,&nbsp;Ying Zhou,&nbsp;Senxiang Xie,&nbsp;Lixin Liang,&nbsp;Liping Deng,&nbsp;Xiaoping Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101267","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101267","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Ganoderma lucidum</em> is a valuable medicinal mushroom used extensively in traditional medicine and modern health industries. Continuous cropping often alters soil microbial communities, leading to continuous cropping obstacles that limit sustainable production. Although fungal diversity has been extensively studied, bacterial dynamics and their functional roles remain less understood. Here, we combined bacterial isolation and identification, third-generation full-length 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing, and confrontation assays to systematically investigate soil bacterial communities before and after <em>G. lucidum</em> cultivation. Significant changes in microbial richness, diversity, and composition were observed with notable shifts in Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Acidobacteria. Importantly, we identified key bacterial species, including <em>Bacillus velezensis</em>, <em>B. subtilis</em>, <em>B. amyloliquefaciens</em>, <em>Streptoverticillium reticulum</em>, and <em>Paenibacillus mucilaginosus</em>, that strongly inhibited <em>G. lucidum</em> mycelial growth, highlighting their potential role in continuous cropping obstacles. This study provides the first integrative framework linking species-level bacterial dynamics to continuous cropping barriers in <em>G. lucidum</em>, offering a theoretical basis for targeted microbial management in sustainable cultivation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101267"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Plant coexistence shapes microbial carbon and phosphorus limitations in soils of expanding alpine shrubs","authors":"Zhiliang Ma,&nbsp;Yamei Chen,&nbsp;Wenjuan Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101275","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101275","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alpine shrub expansion restructures plant communities and soil biogeochemistry on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, but how contrasting plant coexistence patterns (shrub-conifer vs. mixed shrubs) shape microbial metabolic limitation across bulk/rhizosphere soils and soil layers remains unresolved—limiting predictions of ecosystem responses to vegetation shifts. We quantified microbial metabolic limitation via extracellular enzyme stoichiometry and vector properties in bulk/rhizosphere soils (organic/mineral layers) of expanding <em>Salix oritrepha</em> shrubs under three coexistence patterns: pure stands, coexistence with <em>Picea likiangensis</em> (shrub-conifer), or <em>Sibiraea angustata</em> (mixed shrubs). Our key findings reveal that microbial communities in <em>S. oritrepha</em> soils were primarily C- and P-limited, with coexisting plants identity driving divergent limitation patterns: relative to pure stands, conifer coexistence (<em>P. likiangensis</em>) consistently alleviated C limitation across all soils and layers, whereas mixed shrub coexistence (<em>S. angustata</em>) intensified C limitation (except for an alleviating effect in the mineral-layer rhizosphere). For P limitation, conifer coexistence strengthened limitation only in bulk soil, while mixed shrub coexistence primarily amplified P limitation in the rhizosphere. Soil moisture emerged as the dominant driver: it correlated positively with C limitation and negatively with P limitation. These results demonstrate that coexisting plants determines the direction and compartment-specificity of microbial resource limitation under shrub expansion—providing a functional framework to predict soil biogeochemical responses to alpine vegetation shifts, with critical implications for ecosystem management under global change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101275"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037968","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Season-specific cutting strategies enable efficient clonal propagation of Berberis amurensis Rupr","authors":"Gun Mo Kim ,&nbsp;Suejin Park ,&nbsp;Seung Youn Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101268","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101268","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Berberis amurensis</em> Rupr. is a pollinator-supporting shrub valued for its medicinal and ornamental traits; however, practical propagation is limited due to slow seed germination and a lack of vegetative propagation methods. This study investigated the impact of cutting season, auxin concentration, and cutting type on the adventitious rooting of stem cuttings. Hardwood cutting rooted in May showed higher survival, rooting percentage, and root system development than those rooted in August, and potassium indole-3-butyric acid at 500–1000 mg L⁻¹ increased root biomass and root number in May. In August, greenwood cuttings rooted and survived better than hardwood cuttings, even without auxin treatment. Anatomical observations confirmed that the adventitious root originated from the cambial zone and reconnected with the stem vascular tissues. These findings establish simple and season-specific protocols for the clonal propagation of <em>B. amurensis</em> for ex situ conservation and horticultural use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101268"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A new strain of Trichoderma shows improved biocontrol of Fusarium root rot in ginseng via functional metabolites, defense induction and rhizosphere regulation","authors":"Simeng Zhao ,&nbsp;Liwei Wang ,&nbsp;Chao Li ,&nbsp;Zhangxin Hou ,&nbsp;Xinping Yang ,&nbsp;Hongyan Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2025.101237","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2025.101237","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Fusarium oxysporum</em>-induced <em>Panax ginseng</em> root rot is a devastating disease. The development of effective biocontrol agents is therefore crucial. This study isolated <em>Trichoderma velutinum</em> YW411 from ginseng rhizosphere soil and evaluated its biocontrol efficacy alone and in combination with <em>Penicillium citrinum</em> YW322. Pot experiments demonstrated that single inoculation with <em>T. velutinum</em> significantly inhibited root rot and promoted plant growth. The strain produced siderophores, indole-3-acetic acid, protease, and cellulase, but lacked 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase and phosphate-solubilizing capacity. Soil pH, total potassium and the activity of the defense-related enzyme lipoxygenase were significantly higher in the <em>T. velutinum</em>-only treatment compared to the co-inoculation treatment. Co-inoculation with <em>P. citrinum</em> altered microbial communities but diminished disease resistance. <em>In vitro</em> assays revealed that <em>T. velutinum</em> growth was inhibited by lipopeptides and other compounds secreted by <em>P. citrinum</em>, thereby reducing the ability of the ginseng rhizosphere biocontrol system with <em>T. velutinum</em> to suppress <em>F. oxysporum</em> spore germination and biomass. These results indicate that <em>T. velutinum</em> YW411 is a promising biocontrol and growth-promoting agent via direct pathogen inhibition, host resistance induction, and rhizosphere environment regulation, but it is incompatible with <em>P. citrinum</em> YW322.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101237"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The key predictive factors of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi community spatial distribution in saline-alkaline meadow soils: Abiotic variables or hosts?","authors":"Lin Zhang ,&nbsp;Yuqiang Wen ,&nbsp;Mengmeng Zhang ,&nbsp;Kun Li ,&nbsp;Ruotong Wu ,&nbsp;Ning Sun ,&nbsp;Fuqiang Song ,&nbsp;Tianle Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101266","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101266","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are vital plant symbionts in terrestrial ecosystems, yet their community distribution patterns and key drivers in extreme environments remain elusive. Focusing on the unique soda saline-alkaline meadows in the cold region of Northeast China, we established six sampling sites along a 500-km climatic gradient. By integrating traditional microscopic techniques with high-throughput sequencing, we systematically characterized the spatial distribution and drivers of soil AM fungal communities under severe saline-alkaline stress. Results indicated that under saline-alkaline stress, abiotic variables overrode host preferences to dominate community structuring. Specifically, high pH significantly suppressed root colonization and extraradical mycelial density, and significantly reduced soil AM fungal Shannon diversity. Nitrate nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N) acted as a critical \"diversity filter,\" showing a significant negative correlation with species richness and phylogenetic diversity. Conversely, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and regional climate synergistically drove community composition divergence. Crucially, the lack of significant correlation between soil AM fungal and plant communities confirmed the primacy of abiotic filtering in these extreme habitats. Further analysis revealed divergent ecological strategies: Regional climate potentially regulated the abundance of the dominant genera <em>Glomus</em> and <em>Scutellospora</em>, whereas <em>Rhizophagus</em> was driven by local nutrient-rich micro-niches (SOC and ammonium nitrogen) and closely associated with plant productivity. This study identifies severe soil abiotic stress as the core driver shaping AM fungal spatial patterns in cold saline-alkaline meadows. These findings deepen our understanding of microbial distribution in stressed habitats and offer critical scientific insights for the restoration of fragile saline-alkaline ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101266"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}