PRJNA557311
Bryophytes and their symbiotic microorganisms in karst rocky desertification areas
Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are integral components of drylands on all continents of the earth and constitute a key biotic component of these areas as well as have a large number of ecological effects. However, much research on BSCs has mainly focused on arid and semi-arid areas, especially desert regions. Bryophytic crusts are considered the later and climax community of crust development, they not only have unique ecological function, but also has high biomass and obvious ecological effect, which plays an irreplaceable role in the restoration and reconstruction of degraded ecosystem. Karst rocky desertification has tremendously affected the hydrologic, soil, and ecologic conditions at various scales and consequently causes more geologic hazards such as droughts, floods, landslides, and land subsidence as well as seriously hinders the sustainable development of local economy. Therefore, it is very urgent to seek more sustainable measures to control rocky desertification and restore ecological environment. Bryophytic crusts have high ecological value and wide application prospect in the long-term management of karst rocky desertification. However, in the karst rocky desertification areas of southwest China, the research on bryophytic crusts is very limited. Therefore, in this project, we investigated carefully the diversity composition of bryophytic crusts growing on bare rocks in the karst rocky desertification regions in Guizhou Province, Southwest of China. Through the comprehensive analysis, Hypnum leptothallum and Hyophila involuta were classified as high drought-resistance species. Further microbial diversity and function analysis of Hypnum leptothallum and Hyophila involuta showed that the moss species and rocky desertification types affects the composition of the entire microbiome. Becteria were more sensitive in the microbiome as their communities changed strongly between moss species and drought resistance factors. Moreover, several species of fungi and bacteria can be significantly associated with three drought-resistant indicators: Pro, SOD and POD, which were closely related to the drought adaptability of mosses. Our results enforced the potential of microbial communities as one kind of promoters in the distribution pattern of early mosses succession.