ZhangJiaKouQinghe

This study investigates how agricultural and urban land use affect microbial communities in river water and sediments along the Qingshui River, China. Using 16S rRNA sequencing, co-occurrence networks, and iCAMP modeling, we found distinct microbial structures and assembly processes: agricultural runoff increased nitrate in water, while urban areas elevated sediment nutrients, driving bacterial changes. Water communities were more responsive to land use and shaped by heterogeneous selection, whereas sediment communities were dominated by dispersal limitation. Network analysis revealed stronger synergistic interactions in agricultural zones and higher competition and robustness in urban areas. Key microbial co-dependencies suggest watershed-scale ecological connectivity, offering insights for science-based river management and conservation.