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Life
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Advances in the Structure and Function of Microbial Communities
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Advances in the Structure and Function of Microbial Communities

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 December 2024 | Viewed by 3656

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Qing Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Xiong’an Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
Interests: environmental microbiology; metals and microbes; geomicrobiology; biogeochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Xuliang Zhuang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
Interests: nitrogen cycle; microbial ecology; constructed wetlands; watershed management; wastewater treatment; aquatic ecology; wastewater reuse and resource recovery; quorum sensing; partial nitrification
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, on "Advances in the Structure and Function of Microbial Communities", aims to illuminate the intricate dynamics shaping microbial ecosystems and their pivotal roles in various environments. With a focus on recent advancements, this initiative seeks to bridge gaps in our understanding of microbial community structure and function, offering a platform for interdisciplinary exploration. Through cutting-edge research, this Special Issue endeavors to unravel the complex interactions driving community assembly, diversity, and stability. Moreover, it strives to elucidate the functional contributions of microbial communities to ecosystem processes, such as nutrient cycling, biogeochemical transformations, and host–microbe interactions. Moreover, by showcasing innovative methodologies, theoretical frameworks, and empirical findings, this Special Issue aims to catalyze further insights into microbial community ecology and inform strategies for sustainable resource management and environmental stewardship. Prospective authors are invited to contribute their expertise to this collective endeavor, driving forward the frontier of our knowledge on microbial ecology and paving the way for transformative applications in a diverse range of fields.

Prof. Dr. Qing Hu
Prof. Dr. Xuliang Zhuang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microbial communities
  • ecosystem dynamics
  • community structure
  • functional diversity
  • interactions
  • ecological processes
  • sustainability

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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25 pages, 5147 KiB  
Article
Stochastic Processes Dominate the Assembly of Soil Bacterial Communities of Land Use Patterns in Lesser Khingan Mountains, Northeast China
by Junnan Ding and Shaopeng Yu
Life 2024, 14(11), 1407; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14111407 - 31 Oct 2024
Viewed by 484
Abstract
To meet the demands of a growing population, natural wetlands are being converted to arable land, significantly impacting soil biodiversity. This study investigated the effects of land use changes on bacterial communities in wetland, arable land, and forest soils in the Lesser Khingan [...] Read more.
To meet the demands of a growing population, natural wetlands are being converted to arable land, significantly impacting soil biodiversity. This study investigated the effects of land use changes on bacterial communities in wetland, arable land, and forest soils in the Lesser Khingan Mountains using Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA sequencing. Soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities were measured using standard methods, while microbial diversity was assessed through sequencing analysis. Our findings revealed that forest soils had significantly higher levels of total potassium (2.62 g·kg−1), electrical conductivity (8.22 mS·cm−1), urease (0.18 mg·g−1·d−1), and nitrate reductase (0.13 mg·g−1·d−1), attributed to rich organic matter and active microbial communities. Conversely, arable soils showed lower total potassium (1.94 g·kg−1), reduced electrical conductivity, and suppressed enzyme activities due to frequent tilling and fertilization. Wetland soils exhibited the lowest values primarily due to water saturation, which limits organic matter decomposition and microbial activity. Land use changes notably reduced microbial diversity, with conversion from forest to arable land leading to habitat loss. Forest soils supported higher abundances of Proteobacteria (37.59%) and Actinobacteriota (34.73%), while arable soils favored nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Wetlands were characterized by chemoheterotrophic and anaerobic bacteria. Overall, these findings underscore the profound influence of land use on soil microbial communities and their functional roles, highlighting the need for sustainable management practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Structure and Function of Microbial Communities)
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Review

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18 pages, 2487 KiB  
Review
Electron Transfer in the Biogeochemical Sulfur Cycle
by Xuliang Zhuang, Shijie Wang and Shanghua Wu
Life 2024, 14(5), 591; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14050591 - 6 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2644
Abstract
Microorganisms are key players in the global biogeochemical sulfur cycle. Among them, some have garnered particular attention due to their electrical activity and ability to perform extracellular electron transfer. A growing body of research has highlighted their extensive phylogenetic and metabolic diversity, revealing [...] Read more.
Microorganisms are key players in the global biogeochemical sulfur cycle. Among them, some have garnered particular attention due to their electrical activity and ability to perform extracellular electron transfer. A growing body of research has highlighted their extensive phylogenetic and metabolic diversity, revealing their crucial roles in ecological processes. In this review, we delve into the electron transfer process between sulfate-reducing bacteria and anaerobic alkane-oxidizing archaea, which facilitates growth within syntrophic communities. Furthermore, we review the phenomenon of long-distance electron transfer and potential extracellular electron transfer in multicellular filamentous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. These bacteria, with their vast application prospects and ecological significance, play a pivotal role in various ecological processes. Subsequently, we discuss the important role of the pili/cytochrome for electron transfer and presented cutting-edge approaches for exploring and studying electroactive microorganisms. This review provides a comprehensive overview of electroactive microorganisms participating in the biogeochemical sulfur cycle. By examining their electron transfer mechanisms, and the potential ecological and applied implications, we offer novel insights into microbial sulfur metabolism, thereby advancing applications in the development of sustainable bioelectronics materials and bioremediation technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Structure and Function of Microbial Communities)
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