Microbial community diversity and assembly processes in the aridification of wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

This study investigates soil microbial community dynamics in high-altitude wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau under drought conditions. It compares the composition, structure, and assembly mechanisms of microbial communities in water-rich and water-deficient wetlands. The results show that while α diversity remains stable after aridification, the community undergoes significant phylum reorganization. Aridification leads to increased sensitivity in the β diversity of archaea and bacteria to environmental and geographic factors, while fungal β diversity remains unchanged. Co-occurrence network analysis reveals a more complex and denser microbial network in aridified wetlands. Hub microbial groups are found only in bacteria and fungi, and their richness decreases after aridification. The study suggests a shift from a neutral to a partially deterministic assembly process, marked by reduced dispersal limitations and stronger heterogeneous selections. These findings contribute to understanding microbial community evolution in response to global environmental changes.