Author(s): Wang Zhu; Liu Yang; Wang Fang

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Keywords: Qilian Mountains; Permafrost degradation; Soil microbial community; Co-occurrence network

Abstract: Climate change-induced permafrost degradation significantly alters soil microbial communities, which act as sensitive indicators of thaw dynamics and ecosystem stability. This study investigated shifts in soil microbial co-occurrence networks across four experimental plots with varying active layer thickness (ALT) in the Qilian Mountains. At ALT 4 m, the network evolved into a multi-species core, emphasizing that microbial community stability under environmental stress relied heavily on synergistic interactions among functionally diverse taxa. These findings underscore the critical role of microbial networks in sustaining ecosystem functions amid permafrost degradation, offering insights into carbon and nutrient cycling dynamics. Future research could apply these network-based analyses across broader permafrost regions to further understand microbial resilience mechanisms under various climate scenarios.

DOI:

Year: 2024