biostudies-literatureLi SNational Natural Science Foundation Regional Innovation and Development Joint FundNational Natural Science Foundation of China1257-1266https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10356767biostudies-literatureUnknown17(8)Atmospheric trace gases, such as H₂ and CO, are important energy sources for microbial growth and maintenance in various ecosystems, especially in arid deserts with little organic substrate. Nonetheless, the impact of soil organic C availability on microbial trace gas oxidation and the underlying mechanisms are unclear at the community level. This study investigated the energy and life-history strategies of soil microbiomes along an organic C gradient inside and out of Hedysarum scoparium islands dispersed in the Mu Us Desert, China. Metagenomic analysis showed that with increasing organic C availability from bare areas into "fertile islands", the abundance of trace gas oxidizers (TGOs) decreased, but that of trace gas nonoxidizers (TGNOs) increased. The variation in their abundThe ISME journalReduced trace gas oxidizers as a response to organic carbon availability linked to oligotrophs in desert fertile islands.PMC103567673187047641830755Li SLuo WChen WWei XJiao SWei GYang SfalseReduced trace gas oxidizers as a response to organic carbon availability linked to oligotrophs in desert fertile islands.Atmospheric trace gases, such as H₂ and CO, are important energy sources for microbial growth and maintenance in various ecosystems, especially in arid deserts with little organic substrate. Nonetheless, the impact of soil organic C availability on microbial trace gas oxidation and the underlying mechanisms are unclear at the community level. This study investigated the energy and life-history strategies of soil microbiomes along an organic C gradient inside and out of Hedysarum scoparium islands dispersed in the Mu Us Desert, China. Metagenomic analysis showed that with increasing organic C availability from bare areas into "fertile islands", the abundance of trace gas oxidizers (TGOs) decreased, but that of trace gas nonoxidizers (TGNOs) increased. The variation in their abund2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Aug2025-04-22T14:53:28.998Z2025-04-06T01:09:41.23ZS-EPMC103567673725397010.1038/s41396-023-01437-6