Influence of microbial diversity of different desert saline lakeshore soils on ecosystem multifunctionality

The soil microbiota plays a crucial role in regulating ecosystem multifunctionality. However, the interactions between soil microbiota and soil factors and how they affect ecosystem multifunctionality under different saline lakeshore soil types are unknown. Here, we selected three different types of saline lakeshore soils (i.e., sodium sulfate-sulfate-type saline lake JLS, magnesium sulfate-sulfate-type saline lake BDW, and carbonate-type saline lake HDW) to study their responses to soil salt-based ions, microbial diversity, and soil factors. We assessed the differences in abundance, structural diversity of microbial communities. Diversity results showed significant changes in alpha diversity (Chao, Shannon, and Simpson indices) for HDW and BDW, JLS, and beta-diversity corroborated the results. Circular visualization (Circos) plots and stamps showed the overlap and differentiation of bacterial taxa at the phylum level in the three types of saline lakeshore soils, with 44 bacterial phyla significantly enriched in HDW, while nine and three bacterial phyla were significantly enriched in BDW and JLS, respectively. We also revealed that pH, SMC, AK, TP, Na+, Mg2+, HCO3-, and Cl- contributed strongly to the differences in microbial communities in the sample plots, and that the microbial species also influenced the soil factors. Linear regression analysis of individual ecosystem multifunctionality was linearly related to bacterial diversity, abundance and evenness, and total ecosystem multifunctionality also increased with microbial diversity. Partial Least Squares Path Model (PLS-PM) analysis showed that different types of saline lakeshore soil factors, soil anions and cations, aboveground biomass, and soil microbial diversity had direct and indirect effects on ecosystem multifunctionality. Overall, microbial diversity and soil factors played important roles on ecosystem multifunctionality. Therefore, when assessing ecosystem multifunctionality response, it is important to consider not only microbial diversity, but also interactions with soil factors, which are important for predicting changes in ecosystem function.