He Kun, Zhao Jiacheng, Pan Jianbin, Zhang Qi, Feng Huyuan
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
Center for Grassland Microbiome, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
Front Microbiol. 2025 Jul 1;16:1616051. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1616051. eCollection 2025.
Wetlands are the largest natural sources of methane (CH) emissions worldwide, with methanogenic archaea serving as the primary drivers of CH production. Nevertheless, the influences of biotic factors (e.g., methanogen abundance, community diversity and composition) and abiotic factors (e.g., soil properties) on potential CH production rates remain insufficiently understood in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In this study, we examined soil properties, potential methane production rates (PMPRs), methanogenic archaeal abundance, diversity, community structure, and co-occurrence networks across four wetlands (two desert wetlands and two peatlands) with contrasting soil conditions on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We found no significant differences in methanogen abundance and PMPRs among the four wetlands, but the two were significantly positively correlated. The structure of methanogenic communities varied markedly among wetlands and was mainly shaped by soil pH. The complexity of co-occurrence networks was positively correlated with both methanogen diversity and PMPRs. Further analysis using partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) revealed that PMPRs were closely associated with soil nutrition (soil total organic carbon and total nitrogen; standardized path coefficient = 0.307), methanogenic abundance (0.570) and network complexity (0.238). It indicated that biotic factors may exert a greater influence than abiotic factors on soil PMPRs in wetland ecosystems. Additionally, complex microbial interaction networks may play a more crucial role in regulating PMPRs than methanogenic diversity and community structure. Our study highlights a strong link between methanogenic network complexity and methane-producing potential, offering a novel perspective on the relationship between community interactions and ecosystem function.
湿地是全球最大的甲烷（CH）排放天然源，产甲烷古菌是CH产生的主要驱动因素。然而，在青藏高原，生物因素（如产甲烷菌丰度、群落多样性和组成）和非生物因素（如土壤性质）对潜在CH产生速率的影响仍未得到充分了解。在本研究中，我们调查了青藏高原东北边缘四个土壤条件不同的湿地（两个沙漠湿地和两个泥炭地）的土壤性质、潜在甲烷产生速率（PMPR）、产甲烷古菌丰度、多样性、群落结构和共现网络。我们发现四个湿地之间的产甲烷菌丰度和PMPR没有显著差异，但二者呈显著正相关。产甲烷群落结构在不同湿地之间差异显著，主要受土壤pH值影响。共现网络的复杂性与产甲烷菌多样性和PMPR均呈正相关。使用偏最小二乘路径模型（PLS-PM）的进一步分析表明，PMPR与土壤养分（土壤总有机碳和总氮；标准化路径系数 = 0.307）、产甲烷菌丰度（0.570）和网络复杂性（0.238）密切相关。这表明在湿地生态系统中，生物因素对土壤PMPR的影响可能大于非生物因素。此外，复杂的微生物相互作用网络在调节PMPR方面可能比产甲烷菌多样性和群落结构发挥更关键的作用。我们的研究突出了产甲烷网络复杂性与甲烷产生潜力之间的紧密联系，为群落相互作用与生态系统功能之间的关系提供了新的视角。
