Molecular Microbiology Research 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 49-60 http://microbescipublisher.com/index.php/mmr 54 Figure 2 Flowchart of the experimental design and sketch of rhizocompartment types (Adopted from Zhou et al., 2020a) 6.2 Key findings and implications The study revealed significant differences in bacterial community diversity across the different rhizocompartments. The root compartment was predominantly composed of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Tenericutes, and Chloroflexi, with Proteobacteria being the dominant genus. Soil nutrients were found to be higher in the rhizosphere soil compared to root-zone soil and intershrub bulk soil, except for total phosphorus and available phosphorus (Figure 3) (Zhou et al., 2020a). These findings suggest that desert leguminous plants have a hierarchical filtering and enriching effect on beneficial microbes through their rhizocompartments. Additionally, soil physicochemical factors such as pH and NH4+-N significantly influenced the structure and composition of microbial communities in different rhizocompartments (Zhou et al., 2020a; 2020b). This study revealed the complex interactions of bacterial communities in different soil and root environments through co-occurrence network analysis, and found that Proteobacteria dominated in the roots, while Actinobacteria was more significant in the soil under and between shrubs. This provides insights into microbial ecology in different soil and root environments, highlighting the main bacterial populations and their interactions, which are crucial for understanding soil health and plant microbial relationships. 6.3 Research significance The implications of this case study extend beyond the Mu Us Desert, offering insights into the interactions between leguminous plants and soil microbial communities in other ecosystems and agricultural systems. The hierarchical filtering and enriching effect observed in desert leguminous plants could be applicable to other arid and semi-arid regions, where soil nutrient enhancement and microbial diversity are critical for plant growth and soil health. Furthermore, understanding the role of soil physicochemical factors in shaping microbial communities can inform sustainable agricultural practices, such as the use of leguminous plants to improve soil fertility and microbial diversity in degraded soils (Schlatter et al., 2015; Zhang et al., 2019). In summary, this case study highlights the complex interactions between leguminous plants and soil microbial communities in the Mu Us Desert. The findings underscore the importance of rhizocompartments and soil physicochemical factors in influencing microbial diversity and community structure, with broader implications for ecosystem restoration and sustainable agriculture.
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