Microbial communities of desert river: Distinct roles of abundant and rare bacteria in the Tarim River ecosystem

Wenjuan Song; Nana Xue; Yuyi Yang; Geoffrey Michael Gadd

doi:10.1016/j.limno.2025.126294

Microbial communities of desert river: Distinct roles of abundant and rare bacteria in the Tarim River ecosystem

Wenjuan Song (Lead / Corresponding author), Nana Xue, Yuyi Yang, Geoffrey Michael Gadd

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Desert inland rivers play crucial role in water resource supply and ecosystem maintenance. The composition and structure of microbial especially bacterial communities have important effects on water environment quality and ecological function. In this study, the composition, assembly mechanisms and co-occurrence network of bacterial communities were studied in Tarim River, the largest inland desert river in China. The research found significant differences in α-diversity and β-diversity between abundant and rare taxa across free-living and particle-associated bacteria. Pseudomonadota dominated bacterial communities, and the abundant taxa and rare taxa of both free-living and particle-associated showed a high variation of percentages. Verrucomicrobiota enriched in the abundant taxa of particle-associated bacteria. TOC, TN and NO₃-N had significant correlation with the composition of rare, total and abundant taxa of both free-living and particle-associated bacteria, while TP also had significant correlation with the composition of rare taxa of free-living bacteria. Total taxa in both free-living and particle-associated bacteria were more fitted by neutral model and influenced by stochastic processes, while the rare and abundant taxa were less influenced by stochastic processes. Furthermore, the co-occurrence network analysis revealed that rare taxa could serve as critical connectors and module hubs in free-living bacteria, compared to particle-associated bacteria. Overall, our study highlights the distinctive roles of abundant taxa and rare taxa in bacterial community assembly and ecosystem function in desert river ecosystems. Understanding these roles is essential for developing conservation strategies aimed at preserving microbial diversity and sustaining ecosystem services in vulnerable habitats.

Original language	English
Article number	126294
Journal	Limnologica
Volume	115
Early online date	8 Oct 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.limno.2025.126294
Publication status	Published - 13 Oct 2025

Keywords

Abundant taxa
Co-occurrence network
Desert inland river
Neutral model
Rare taxa

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Aquatic Science

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.limno.2025.126294

Cite this

@article{d9df0c807b09409786c98a8506e6bfd3,

title = "Microbial communities of desert river: Distinct roles of abundant and rare bacteria in the Tarim River ecosystem",

abstract = "Desert inland rivers play crucial role in water resource supply and ecosystem maintenance. The composition and structure of microbial especially bacterial communities have important effects on water environment quality and ecological function. In this study, the composition, assembly mechanisms and co-occurrence network of bacterial communities were studied in Tarim River, the largest inland desert river in China. The research found significant differences in α-diversity and β-diversity between abundant and rare taxa across free-living and particle-associated bacteria. Pseudomonadota dominated bacterial communities, and the abundant taxa and rare taxa of both free-living and particle-associated showed a high variation of percentages. Verrucomicrobiota enriched in the abundant taxa of particle-associated bacteria. TOC, TN and NO3-N had significant correlation with the composition of rare, total and abundant taxa of both free-living and particle-associated bacteria, while TP also had significant correlation with the composition of rare taxa of free-living bacteria. Total taxa in both free-living and particle-associated bacteria were more fitted by neutral model and influenced by stochastic processes, while the rare and abundant taxa were less influenced by stochastic processes. Furthermore, the co-occurrence network analysis revealed that rare taxa could serve as critical connectors and module hubs in free-living bacteria, compared to particle-associated bacteria. Overall, our study highlights the distinctive roles of abundant taxa and rare taxa in bacterial community assembly and ecosystem function in desert river ecosystems. Understanding these roles is essential for developing conservation strategies aimed at preserving microbial diversity and sustaining ecosystem services in vulnerable habitats.",

keywords = "Abundant taxa, Co-occurrence network, Desert inland river, Neutral model, Rare taxa",

author = "Wenjuan Song and Nana Xue and Yuyi Yang and Gadd, \{Geoffrey Michael\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier GmbH",

year = "2025",

month = oct,

day = "13",

doi = "10.1016/j.limno.2025.126294",

language = "English",

volume = "115",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Microbial communities of desert river

T2 - Distinct roles of abundant and rare bacteria in the Tarim River ecosystem

AU - Song, Wenjuan

AU - Xue, Nana

AU - Yang, Yuyi

AU - Gadd, Geoffrey Michael

PY - 2025/10/13

Y1 - 2025/10/13

N2 - Desert inland rivers play crucial role in water resource supply and ecosystem maintenance. The composition and structure of microbial especially bacterial communities have important effects on water environment quality and ecological function. In this study, the composition, assembly mechanisms and co-occurrence network of bacterial communities were studied in Tarim River, the largest inland desert river in China. The research found significant differences in α-diversity and β-diversity between abundant and rare taxa across free-living and particle-associated bacteria. Pseudomonadota dominated bacterial communities, and the abundant taxa and rare taxa of both free-living and particle-associated showed a high variation of percentages. Verrucomicrobiota enriched in the abundant taxa of particle-associated bacteria. TOC, TN and NO3-N had significant correlation with the composition of rare, total and abundant taxa of both free-living and particle-associated bacteria, while TP also had significant correlation with the composition of rare taxa of free-living bacteria. Total taxa in both free-living and particle-associated bacteria were more fitted by neutral model and influenced by stochastic processes, while the rare and abundant taxa were less influenced by stochastic processes. Furthermore, the co-occurrence network analysis revealed that rare taxa could serve as critical connectors and module hubs in free-living bacteria, compared to particle-associated bacteria. Overall, our study highlights the distinctive roles of abundant taxa and rare taxa in bacterial community assembly and ecosystem function in desert river ecosystems. Understanding these roles is essential for developing conservation strategies aimed at preserving microbial diversity and sustaining ecosystem services in vulnerable habitats.

AB - Desert inland rivers play crucial role in water resource supply and ecosystem maintenance. The composition and structure of microbial especially bacterial communities have important effects on water environment quality and ecological function. In this study, the composition, assembly mechanisms and co-occurrence network of bacterial communities were studied in Tarim River, the largest inland desert river in China. The research found significant differences in α-diversity and β-diversity between abundant and rare taxa across free-living and particle-associated bacteria. Pseudomonadota dominated bacterial communities, and the abundant taxa and rare taxa of both free-living and particle-associated showed a high variation of percentages. Verrucomicrobiota enriched in the abundant taxa of particle-associated bacteria. TOC, TN and NO3-N had significant correlation with the composition of rare, total and abundant taxa of both free-living and particle-associated bacteria, while TP also had significant correlation with the composition of rare taxa of free-living bacteria. Total taxa in both free-living and particle-associated bacteria were more fitted by neutral model and influenced by stochastic processes, while the rare and abundant taxa were less influenced by stochastic processes. Furthermore, the co-occurrence network analysis revealed that rare taxa could serve as critical connectors and module hubs in free-living bacteria, compared to particle-associated bacteria. Overall, our study highlights the distinctive roles of abundant taxa and rare taxa in bacterial community assembly and ecosystem function in desert river ecosystems. Understanding these roles is essential for developing conservation strategies aimed at preserving microbial diversity and sustaining ecosystem services in vulnerable habitats.

KW - Abundant taxa

KW - Co-occurrence network

KW - Desert inland river

KW - Neutral model

KW - Rare taxa

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105018104608

U2 - 10.1016/j.limno.2025.126294

DO - 10.1016/j.limno.2025.126294

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105018104608

SN - 0075-9511

VL - 115

JO - Limnologica

JF - Limnologica

M1 - 126294

ER -

Microbial communities of desert river: Distinct roles of abundant and rare bacteria in the Tarim River ecosystem

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this