Mao Bin, Fang XiangLiang, Lei HongLing, Xiao YunLi, Fu Yue
Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for the Characteristic Resources Exploitation of Dabie Mountains, College of Biology and Agricultural Resources, Hubei Zhongke Research Institute of Industrial Technology, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, Hubei, China.
College of Biological and Food Engineering, Hubei University for Nationalities, Enshi, 445000, Hubei, China.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jan 29;15(1):3647. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-87917-5.
Yutangba, situated in Enshi City, Hubei Province, is globally noted for its high selenium (Se) content. Soil invertebrates are essential to the functionality and services of terrestrial ecosystems, yet their community composition in this region remains under-explored. This study utilized environmental DNA metabarcoding to investigate the interrelations among environmental factors, soil invertebrate diversity, and community characteristics concerning soil Se content, pH, and moisture content in the region. Environmental factors such as Se concentration, water content, and pH were strongly associated with species beta diversity of soil invertebrates in Se-rich areas, reshaping their distribution and abundance, while alpha diversity remained relatively stable. Among these, Se notably emerges as the primary regulatory factor increasing soil invertebrate diversity. The acidic soil pH, along with moisture, plays a fine-tuning role in regulating the species richness and community composition. Unexpectedly, certain species, such as the Formicidae (ants, e.g., Odontomachus troglodytes), the Noctuidae (e.g., Diarsia rosaria), and the annelid Haplotaxida Perionyx excavates, exhibit a strong positive association with Se, indicating a high level of Se tolerance among the native species. This novel perspective reveals the complex role of Se in soil ecosystems, emphasizing the necessity of understanding its ecological functions and potential implications for ecosystem health and stability.
渔塘坝位于湖北省恩施市，以其高硒含量而闻名于世。土壤无脊椎动物对陆地生态系统的功能和服务至关重要，然而该地区它们的群落组成仍有待深入研究。本研究利用环境DNA宏条形码技术，调查了该地区环境因素、土壤无脊椎动物多样性以及与土壤硒含量、pH值和含水量相关的群落特征之间的相互关系。硒浓度、含水量和pH值等环境因素与富硒地区土壤无脊椎动物的物种β多样性密切相关，重塑了它们的分布和丰度，而α多样性则相对稳定。其中，硒尤其成为增加土壤无脊椎动物多样性的主要调节因素。酸性土壤pH值以及湿度在调节物种丰富度和群落组成方面发挥着微调作用。出乎意料的是，某些物种，如蚁科（蚂蚁，如洞穴猛蚁）、夜蛾科（如玫瑰巾夜蛾）和环节动物单孔蚓，与硒呈现出强烈的正相关，表明本地物种对硒具有较高的耐受性。这一新视角揭示了硒在土壤生态系统中的复杂作用，强调了理解其生态功能以及对生态系统健康和稳定性潜在影响的必要性。
