Diversity and distribution characteristics of myxobacteria in the rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils of the halophyte <i>Haloxylon ammodendron</i> in the high saline-alkaline Ebinur Lake Wetland

This study employed Illumina HiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology to analyze the V4-V5 regions of myxobacterial 16S rRNA in rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils of <i>Haloxylon ammodendron</i> in the saline-alkaline wetland of Ebinur Lake, with the aim of investigating the community structure and diversity of myxobacteria. Results indicated that myxobacterial communities in rhizosphere soils exhibited greater diversity and richness compared to nonrhizosphere soils. Soil physicochemical properties, particularly moisture content, were identified as key environmental factors influencing myxobacterial diversity. The halotolerant genus <i>Haliangium</i> was found to be predominant under saline-alkaline conditions. Additionally, myxobacteria demonstrated distinct ecological specificity and environmental adaptability between rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils. For example, the genus <i>Enhygromyxa</i> exhibited a negative correlation with soil moisture content in rhizosphere soils but a positive correlation with soil electrical conductivity in nonrhizosphere soils. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed complex interaction patterns among myxobacterial genera and other bacterial genera, with closer interactions observed in rhizosphere soils. This study highlights the importance of environmental factors in regulating microbial community structure and function in saline-alkaline wetlands, providing new insights into the ecological roles and interaction mechanisms of myxobacteria within the ecosystem.