Coastal gradients and human disturbance shape bacterial and fungal rhizosphere microbiomes of <i>Heliotropium arboreum</i> in Hainan, China.

ABSTRACT: Coastal ecosystems in Hainan exhibit steep sea-land gradients in salinity and nutrient availability, yet the rhizosphere microbiome of the pioneer shrub Heliotropium arboreum remains poorly understood. We investigated bacterial and fungal communities across seven coastal sites using replicated transects from seaward to shrub-belt to inland zones, and linked community patterns to soil physicochemical properties and human disturbance. Bacterial communities consistently showed higher richness, evenness, and compositional stability than fungal communities. Alpha diversity increased from seaward to inland zones for both groups, with a stronger gradient in fungi. Community composition was dominated by Proteobacteria and Planctomycetota in bacteria and Ascomycota in fungi, with distinct do

SUBMITTER: Zhang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12907427 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature