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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Microbial Dynamics in Desert Ecosystems
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Microbial Dynamics in Desert Ecosystems

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 2023

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Xiaoying Rong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
Interests: diazotrophs and bacteria

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Desert ecosystems are an important component of terrestrial ecosystems. Microbial communities drive the material cycling and energy flow in desert systems and determine the sustainability of the net primary productivity of desert systems. Globally, desert areas often feature vast desert belts spanning large areas. Against the background of climate change, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, drought and desertification have seriously threatened the regional living environment. During the long-term process of desert adaptation, desert microorganisms adapt to environmental changes and drive the feedback effects of desert systems. Therefore, understanding the distribution and pattern of desert microbial communities is of great significance for us to deeply understand the ecological processes of desertification.

Microorganisms are surprisingly rich and diverse in desert ecosystems around the world. In these environments, microorganisms have to endure various physical and chemical stresses, including low water potential, carbon and nitrogen deficiency, and extreme temperatures. These extensive and extreme ecological adaptations are closely related to the strategies of desert microorganisms such as dormancy, energy reserves, and energy collection. As a core component of desert ecosystems, desert microorganisms participate in important ecological processes within regional ecosystems, can quickly sense changes in environmental factors, reflect changes in environmental quality and ecosystem function, and thus can be used to evaluate ecosystem stability and improve ecological functions. In this Special Issue, we further explore the important role of desert microorganisms from aspects such as the distribution characteristics, physiological and ecological adaptations, community diversity, and influencing factors of desert microorganisms in arid and semi-arid regions, with the aim of providing references for the application of desert microorganisms in ecological restoration in this region and looking forward to future research directions.

For this Special Issue, we welcome submissions of reviews, articles (original research), communications, and perspectives on topics including, but not limited to, the following:

  1. Diversity, functions, and environmental drivers of microbial communities in different habitats of deserts such as soil, plants, and seeds.
  2. Responses and adaptation strategies of desert microbial communities to drought characteristics.
  3. Primary and secondary metabolism in microbial physiology, growth, and survival of organisms within the desert environment.
  4. Desert microbiomes in a changing world, and microbially influenced global changes.

Dr. Xiaoying Rong
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microbial diversity
  • drought
  • arid and semiarid regions
  • adaptation
  • functional regulation

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3594 KB  
Article
Microbial Communities and Environmental Factors Interact to Regulate Soil Respiration Under Nitrogen Addition Conditions in Alpine Meadows in Northwest China
by Xiaojuan Cao, Jinlong Wang, Bota Bahethan, Yudong Chen, Junjie Liu and Guanghui Lü
Microorganisms 2025, 13(9), 2098; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13092098 - 9 Sep 2025
Viewed by 676
Abstract
Alpine meadow ecosystems are highly sensitive to global change, yet the response mechanisms of soil respiration (Rs) to nitrogen deposition remain unclear. This research employed a gradient nitrogen addition experiment (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 g·m−2·a−1) in an alpine [...] Read more.
Alpine meadow ecosystems are highly sensitive to global change, yet the response mechanisms of soil respiration (Rs) to nitrogen deposition remain unclear. This research employed a gradient nitrogen addition experiment (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 g·m−2·a−1) in an alpine meadow ecosystem in Northwest China to determine the major factors regulating soil respiration responses. High nitrogen inputs (N15 and N20) significantly elevated Rs by 31.96% and 29.21% relative to the control (p < 0.05). Nitrogen addition significantly increased soil ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) content, as well as the activities of cellobiohydrolase (CBH) and peroxidase (POD). Microbial community structure shifted with nitrogen addition, showing increased relative abundance of Actinobacteriota (14–25%) and Basidiomycota (13–26%). Functional prediction analysis revealed that high nitrogen treatments enhanced bacterial carbon metabolism functions such as fermentation and ureolysis, while enriching fungal functional guilds like Wood Saprotroph and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi. Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLS-PM) indicated that nitrogen addition indirectly drives changes in Rs by regulating physicochemical factors (e.g., NH4+-N), which subsequently influence microbial community composition, functional potential, and key enzyme activities. These findings elucidate the factors influencing soil respiration under varying nitrogen addition levels, providing a theoretical basis for assessing soil carbon cycling in alpine meadows under global change scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Dynamics in Desert Ecosystems)
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19 pages, 1767 KB  
Article
The Abundance and Distribution of the acdS Gene in Microbial Communities from the Rhizosphere of Copiapoa solaris, a Native Cactus in the Arid Coastal Region of Antofagasta, Chile
by Mayra Cayo, Francisco Solís-Cornejo, Andrés Santos, Pedro Zamorano and Bernardita Valenzuela
Microorganisms 2025, 13(7), 1547; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13071547 - 1 Jul 2025
Viewed by 891
Abstract
Copiapoa solaris is an endemic cactus species from the Antofagasta region, Chile, thriving in arid coastal ecosystems known as “fog oases,” where the rising marine moisture is the primary water source. This study investigates the role of microbial communities associated with the rhizosphere [...] Read more.
Copiapoa solaris is an endemic cactus species from the Antofagasta region, Chile, thriving in arid coastal ecosystems known as “fog oases,” where the rising marine moisture is the primary water source. This study investigates the role of microbial communities associated with the rhizosphere of C. solaris in adapting to extreme environmental conditions, particularly focusing on the acdS gene, which encodes ACC deaminase—an enzyme that reduces ethylene production under stress. This research aims to elucidate the gene’s contribution to the adaptation of C. solaris in these challenging environments. Samples were collected from three sites (El Cobre, Quebrada Botija, and Quebrada Izcuña) that differ in relative humidity, temperature, and topography. Environmental DNA was extracted, phylogenetic diversity was analyzed, and metagenomic annotation of the acdS gene was conducted. The acdS gene was detected in all samples, with the highest relative abundance at Quebrada Izcuña (0.05%), characterized by low relative humidity (<70%) and severe water stress. Phylogenetic analysis revealed conserved sequences across sites, while taxonomic and alpha diversity were similar among them. However, beta diversity indicated that Quebrada Izcuña was the least homogeneous, hosting distinct taxa potentially associated with stress mitigation. The acdS gene was detected on plasmids at El Cobre and Quebrada Izcuña, suggesting its potential mobility within the metagenome. The results of this study highlight the intricate relationships between microbial communities and the resilient cactus species C. solaris in extreme environments. The conservation and abundance of the acdS gene, particularly in low-humidity conditions, suggest its vital role in facilitating stress tolerance through microbial interactions. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing strategies to enhance plant resilience in arid ecosystems, with potential applications in sustainable agriculture and ecosystem management under changing climatic conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Dynamics in Desert Ecosystems)
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