Carbon-sequestering microorganisms play an important role in the carbon cycle of wetland ecosystems. However, the response mechanism of carbon-sequestering microbial communities to wetland type changes and their relationship with soil carbon remain unclear. To explore these differences and identify the main influencing factors, this study selected marsh wetlands, river wetlands and lakeside wetlands around Qinghai Lake as research subjects. High-throughput sequencing was employed to analyze the functional gene cbbM of carbon-sequestering microorganisms. The results revealed that the alpha diversity of cbbM carbon-sequestering microorganisms mirrored the trend in total carbon content, with the highest diversity observed in marsh wetlands and the lowest in lakeside wetlands. The dominant bacterial phylum was Proteobacteria, with prevalent genera including Thiothrix, Acidithiobacillus, and Thiodictyon. Acidithiobacillus served as a biomarker in lakeside wetlands, while two other genera were indicative of marsh wetlands. The hierarchical partitioning analysis indicated that the diversity of cbbM carbon-fixing microorganisms was primarily influenced by the total nitrogen content, while the community structure was significantly affected by the soil total carbon content. Moreover, an increased soil temperature and humidity were found to favor the carbon fixation processes of Thiomicrospira, Thiomonas, Polaromonas, and Acidithiobacillus. In summary, changes in wetland types seriously affected the characteristics of cbbM carbon sequestration in microbial communities, and a warm and humid climate may be conducive to wetland carbon sequestration.

The nitrogen cycling process in alpine wetlands is profoundly affected by precipitation changes, yet the dynamic response mechanism of denitrifiers to long-term precipitation shifts in the alpine wetland of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau remains enigmatic. Utilizing high-throughput sequencing analysis of nirS-type functional genes, this study delved into the dynamic response mechanism of nirS-type denitrifiers to precipitation changes in the alpine wetland of Qinghai Lake. The findings revealed that nirS-type denitrifiers in the alpine wetland of Qinghai Lake were primarily Proteobacteria, and Alpha diversity exhibited a negative correlation with the precipitation gradient, with deterministic processes predominating in the community assembly of denitrifying microbes. A 50% increase in rainfall shifted the community assembly process of denitrifiers from deterministic to stochastic. Dominant microflora at the genus level responded significantly to precipitation changes, with aerobic bacteria comprising the majority of differentially abundant taxa (55.56%). As precipitation increased, the complexity of the microbial interaction network decreased, and a 25% reduction in precipitation notably elevated the relative abundance of three key functional groups: chemoheterotrophic, aerobic chemoheterotrophic, and nitrogen fixation. Precipitation notably emerged as the primary regulator of nirS-type denitrifiers in the alpine wetland of Qinghai Lake, accounting for 51% of the variation in community composition. In summary, this study offers a fresh perspective for investigating the ecological processes of nitrogen cycling in alpine ecosystems by examining the diversity and community composition of nirS-type denitrifiers in response to precipitation changes.

Qinghai Lake, the largest inland saline lake in China, plays a vital role in wetland carbon cycling. However, the structure and function of soil bacterial communities in its estuarine and nearshore estuarine wetlands remain unclear. This study examined the effects of wetland type and soil depth on bacterial diversity, community composition, and functional potential in the Shaliu, Heima, and Daotang River wetlands using high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that wetland type and soil depth significantly influenced bacterial communities. Nearshore wetlands exhibited lower bacterial diversity in the 0–10 cm layer, while deeper soils (10–20 cm) showed greater regional differentiation. Estuarine wetlands were enriched with Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Chloroflexi, whereas nearshore wetlands were dominated by Actinobacteriota and Cyanobacteria. Functionally, estuarine wetlands had higher sulfate reduction and anaerobic decomposition potential, with Desulfovibrio, Desulfobacter, and Desulfotomaculum regulating sulfur cycling and carbon decomposition. In contrast, nearshore wetlands showed greater nitrogen fixation and organic matter degradation, facilitated by Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Clostridium, and nitrogen-fixing Cyanobacteria (e.g., Anabaena, Nostoc). Microbial metabolic functions varied by depth: surface soils (0–10 cm) favored environmental adaptation and organic degradation, whereas deeper soils (10–20 cm) exhibited lipid metabolism and DNA repair strategies for low-oxygen adaptation. These findings highlight the spatial heterogeneity of bacterial communities and their role in biogeochemical cycles, providing insights into wetland carbon dynamics and informing conservation strategies.

This study investigated the genetic diversity and genomic variation in wild Cordyceps chanhua populations from four regions in China—Dazhou, Sichuan (ICD); Lu’an, Anhui (ICL); Taizhou, Zhejiang (ICT); and Yixing, Jiangsu (ICY)—to elucidate genetic differentiation patterns and provide a scientific foundation for resource conservation and sustainable utilization. Whole-genome resequencing was performed, yielding high-quality sequencing data (Q20 > 98%, Q30 > 94%, coverage: 93.62–95.79%) and enabling the detection of 82,428 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 12,517 insertion–deletion markers (InDels). Genomic variations were unevenly distributed across chromosomes, with chromosome chrU05 exhibiting the highest SNP density (5187.86), suggesting a potential hotspot of genetic diversity. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that all samples belonged to the C. chanhua lineage but revealed significant genetic differentiation among regions. Population structure analysis, supported by structure analysis and PCA, identified two distinct subgroups (G1 and G2) closely associated with geographic origins, reflecting the influence of both environmental and geographic factors on genetic differentiation. These findings underscore the substantial interregional genetic diversity in C. chanhua populations, highlighting the importance of tailored conservation strategies and region-specific germplasm utilization. The study provides critical genomic insights to support marker-assisted breeding, regional cultivation optimization, and the sustainable development of C. chanhua resources.

Methanotrophic communities play a vital role in regulating methane fluxes in wetland ecosystems. This study examined the composition and environmental drivers of methanotrophs in estuarine and nearshore wetlands of the Qinghai Lake basin. Soil samples from six sites across three tributaries showed clear spatial and vertical variation in organic matter, nitrogen forms, and salinity. The Heima River estuarine wetland exhibited the highest methanotrophic diversity and functional potential. Dominant genera included Methylobacter, Methylosinus, and Methylocystis, with site-specific distributions. Redundancy analysis identified soil organic matter, nitrate nitrogen, pH, and electrical conductivity as key factors shaping community structure. These findings reveal how water-salt interactions and nutrient status influence methane-oxidizing microbes, offering insights into carbon cycling dynamics in high-altitude wetlands and supporting ecological restoration efforts in plateau regions.

Volvariella volvacea, the Chinese mushroom, is a high-temperature grass-rot fungus with great production potential, yet its low yield limits industrial development. Exogenous sodium acetate (NaAc) has been shown to increase yield by promoting indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) synthesis during the primordium stage, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, the aldehyde dehydrogenase gene VvALDH, highly expressed at the primordium stage, was cloned and functionally characterized. VvALDH encodes a 1509 bp cDNA with a conserved aldehyde dehydrogenase domain. Using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, overexpression lines showed a 4.76-fold increase in VvALDH expression, accompanied by higher biomass (38%), yield (83%), and IAA content (34%), while RNAi lines showed opposite trends. These results demonstrate that VvALDH promotes IAA biosynthesis, enhances primordium differentiation, and increases yield. Further analysis revealed its involvement in multiple IAA biosynthetic pathways, including indolepyruvate, tryptamine, and tryptophan side-chain oxidase pathways. This work clarifies the molecular basis of NaAc-mediated yield improvement and provides a theoretical foundation for genetic and cultivation strategies in V. volvacea.