biostudies-literatureQi YBudget Surplus of Central Financial Science and Technology Plan141https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10820892biostudies-literatureUnknown12(1)Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are pervasive organic pollutants in coastal ecosystems, especially in tidal flat wetlands. However, the mechanisms through which PAHs impact the soil bacterial communities of wetlands featuring a simple vegetation structure in the Yellow River Delta (China) remain largely unclear. In this study, we examined soil samples from two sites featuring a single vegetation type (<i>Suaeda salsa</i>) in the Yellow River Delta. Specifically, we investigated the impacts of PAHs on the diversity and composition of soil bacteria communities through high-throughput 16 S rRNA sequencing. PAHs significantly increased the soil organic carbon content but decreased the total phosphorus content (<i>p</i> = 0.02). PAH contamination notably reduced soil bacterial communityMicroorganismsEffects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on the Composition of the Soil Bacterial Communities in the Tidal Flat Wetlands of the Yellow River Delta of China.PMC108208922021-JY-05Zhang ZQi YFu GZhi QWu YZhao YfalseEffects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on the Composition of the Soil Bacterial Communities in the Tidal Flat Wetlands of the Yellow River Delta of China.Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are pervasive organic pollutants in coastal ecosystems, especially in tidal flat wetlands. However, the mechanisms through which PAHs impact the soil bacterial communities of wetlands featuring a simple vegetation structure in the Yellow River Delta (China) remain largely unclear. In this study, we examined soil samples from two sites featuring a single vegetation type (<i>Suaeda salsa</i>) in the Yellow River Delta. Specifically, we investigated the impacts of PAHs on the diversity and composition of soil bacteria communities through high-throughput 16 S rRNA sequencing. PAHs significantly increased the soil organic carbon content but decreased the total phosphorus content (<i>p</i> = 0.02). PAH contamination notably reduced soil bacterial community2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Jan2026-06-24T03:24:10.782Z2025-04-04T09:17:27.619ZS-EPMC108208923825796810.3390/microorganisms12010141