Coastal halophytes alter properties and microbial community structure of the saline soils in the Yellow River Delta, China

Abstract

Soil microbial community and extracellular enzymes play an important role in soil biochemical reactions and biogeochemical cycles. In this study, we evaluated the influence of cultivated halophytes on soil enzyme activity and soil microbial composition in the Yellow River area. We selected two local halophytes—Atriplex triangularis and Suaeda glauca—as models. We initially investigated the effects of cultivation of the two halophytes on soil properties and enzyme activities. Subsequently, we evaluated the effects on the bacterial community structure using 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies. Soil salinity, organic matter, and Na+ concentration were significantly higher in the rhizosphere than in the bulk soil for both halophytes studied. Significantly higher urease and dehydrogenase activities were observed in the rhizosphere of A. triangularis than in that of S. glauca. Significant differences in bacterial community structure between the rhizosphere of S. glauca and the associated bulk soil mainly involved the phyla Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Chloroflexi. In the case of A. triangularis, these differences involved Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria. In conclusion, cultivation of these two halophytes could assist in desalinization, altered rhizosphere and bulk soil properties, altered enzyme activities, and shifts in bacterial populations. The results contributed to our understanding of the effects of halophyte cultivation on coastal ecosystem phytoremediation, specifically in the context of the Yellow River Delta.