Study Reveals Microbial Mechanisms Driving Organic Carbon Cycling in Hypersaline Environments

Saline lakes cover approximately one-fifth of the total lake area on Earth and contribute 0.11–0.15 Gt of CO₂ emissions annually, yet their role in the global carbon cycle has long been underestimated.

In a recent paper published in Microbiome, a research team led by Prof. LI Wenjun from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, illustrated the microbial processes driving organic carbon cycling in a hypersaline lake of China.

The researchers conducted a laboratory experiment to study microbial succession and catabolism during the decomposition of brine shrimp carcasses. The results revealed a "declining–increasing" pattern in microbial community dynamics, and identified 33 prokaryotic phyla in which 93.29% are novel species.

In addition, they conceptualized a Microbial Decomposer Network (MDN) operating within hypersaline lakes. This network functions as an integrated, cross-domain system, with bacteria, archaea, and viruses collaborating to orchestrate biomacromolecule(proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids) breakdown, fermentation, sulfate reduction, methanogenesis, and Dissimilatory Nitrogen Reduction to Ammonia (DNRA).

Researchers demonstrated a sophisticated system of "metabolic handoffs", where microbial and viral lineages work in concert. This intricate coordination, achieved through complementary enzymatic functions and nutrient cross-feeding, systematically drives the degradation of organic matter.

This study expands our understanding of microbial decomposers in saline environments, and highlights acollaborative microbial network that plays a crucial role in nutrient cycling during the decomposition of brine shrimp carcasses.

Read the full Article: : https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-026-02361-5

The process and mechanism of material circulation and energy flow in saline lakes. (Image by XIEG)

Contact

LONG Huaping

Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography

E-mail: longhp@ms.xjb.ac.cn

Web: http://english.egi.cas.cn