Editorial: Insights in Terrestrial Microbiology: 2023/2024

Paola Grenni ^1* Ruibo Sun ² Jeanette M Norton ³

• ¹ Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Montelibretti (Rome), Italy
• ² School of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
• ³ Department of Plants, Soils and Climate, Utah State University, Logan, Kansas, United States

Kujala et al. (2024) unraveled the crucial role of the microbiome in the trophic interactions 39 between fermenters and in peatlands, ecosystems which despite their importance, 40 currently poorly understood. Peatlands are considered invaluable but vulnerable ecosystems where 41 huge amounts of organic carbon is with the carbon in the deep peat remaining stable due to 42 limited thermodynamic energy and transport (Rajakaruna al., 2024). However, peatlands emit 43 greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Methanogenesis is an 44 respiration that produces CH4 as the final product of metabolism and it is performed by methanogens, 45 which are strictly anaerobic Archaea (Lyu et al., 2018). The CH4-emitting peatland microbial 46 community showed a pronounced response to additional substrates for fermentation and 47 hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, indicating a high potential activity of both processes. These 48 results indicate that the identification of active primary and secondary fermenters, the role of 49 acetogens, the pathways for anaerobic conversion of acetate to methane and the taxa involved are key 50 challenges to be considered in future studies. Rolland et al. (2024) hemicellulase, and pectinase) were correlated with specific soil abiotic factors (organic carbon, total 79 nitrogen and moisture) and increased with forest succession, while amylase was mainly affected by 80 soil total phosphorus and litterfall. The role of the rare biosphere was emphasized by the results of 81 Dong et al. (2024) on the biocrust communities in karst systems. The biogeochemical 82 transformations and enzymatic functions described are crucial to these wildland sites but also may be 83 influential in the restoration of disturbed ecosystems. 84The microbial community in sediments of sewer systems from distinct urban areas (multifunctional, 85 commercial, and residential ) was examined by Xia et al. (2023). The overall microbial communities 86 were related to physicochemical properties (pH and nutrients), together with the type of sewer 87 sediment, although in-depth investigations of prokaryotic communities in sediments on a larger scale 88 and with greater depth has to be performed to confirm these findings. The role of microbial 89 transformations may also be instrumental in the of saline alkali soils (Li et al. 2024). Large land areas under are degraded by severe accumulation of salts, their poor physical 91 conditions and nutrient imbalances including decreased available phosphorus. Technologies for 92 improving these degraded require combinations of amendments, selective leaching and 93 biological improvements. The contend that combinations of phosphogypsum and phosphate 94 solubilizing microorganisms can work towards improvements in these degraded salt-alkali soils. 95The role of microbial communities in elemental cycling, soil remediation and in intensive agriculture 96 highlights the management of microorganisms as an important tool for progress towards achieving 97 the UN Sustainable Development Goals for healthy soils. 98