Metabolic Potential Of Moss-Dominated Biocrust Microbiomes: A Comparative Analysis In Vegetation Restoration Zones Of Two Desert Ecosystems In Northwest China

Biological soil crusts play an extremely important role in desert ecosystems. This study focuses on the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert in the Shapotou region and the southwestern edge of the Mu Us Sandy Land in the Bajitan region. Based on Illumina high-throughput sequencing and metagenomic technology, a comparative analysis of the metabolic potential of microorganisms in moss crusts was conducted across different spatial scales. It was found that there were significant differences in the microbial diversity of moss crusts in the artificial vegetation restoration areas of two typical desert ecosystems. Functional gene abundances associated with carbon fixation, methanogenesis, aromatic compound degradation, assimilatory nitrate reduction, inorganic phosphorus solubilization, assimilatory sulfate reduction, and cysteine biosynthesis were found to be significantly higher in mossy crusts of the Baijitan Sandy Area than in the Tengger Desert (P < 0.05). Actinomycetota is the main contributor of functional genes related to carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycles in the moss crusts in desert ecosystems. This study provides a theoretical basis for the study of the biogeochemical cycle promoted by moss crusts in terrestrial ecosystems.