A survey of bacterial and fungal community structure and functions in two long-term metalliferous soil habitats.

ABSTRACT: Mercury contamination at legacy nuclear sites such as the Savannah River Site and Oak Ridge Reservation poses persistent ecological risks, yet its impact on soil microbiomes remains incompletely understood. This study integrates qPCR, 16S/ITS amplicon sequencing, and shotgun metagenomics to assess bacterial and fungal community structure, diversity, and functional potential across gradients of total mercury, methylmercury, and bioavailable mercury. Bacterial α-diversity declined with increasing Hg levels, while fungal diversity remained stable and highest in low-contamination soils. Dominant bacterial phyla included Pseudomonadota, Bacteroidota, Bacillota, Acidobacteriota, and Actinomycetota; fungal communities were primarily Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Canonical correspondence analysis

SUBMITTER: Chauhan A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12647758 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature