Exploration and Application of Productive and Ecological Functions of Microorganisms in Saline-Alkali Soils

Over one billion hectares of land are affected by soil salinity in more than 100 countries around the world, and this number is constantly growing. Globally, it is a serious threat to agricultural production and soil biodiversity. By reducing soil biodiversity and microorganism activity, salinity adversely impacts important soil processes. However, in such an extreme environment, there are still soil microorganisms that are salt tolerant and maintain the soil biochemical processes. Therefore, the identification of soil microbial groups associated with extreme saline-alkaline conditions and the possible cultivation and explore their productive and ecological functions is crucial for the comprehensive utilization of saline-alkaline lands.

The selection of salt-tolerant microbial resources is essential for ecological restoration to fully explore the function of saline-alkali land as an important land resource. The improvement of microorganism salt tolerance and the cultivation of new salt-tolerant microorganisms by investigating the mechanisms of microorganism responses to saline-alkali stress are also fundamental aspects.

This Research Topic aims to investigate the effects of salt stress on microbial activities and to gain a better understanding of the salt tolerance and growth laws of microorganisms naturally present in saline-alkali soils. Research on the cultivation and purification of microbial communities or strains with economic and ecological value from extreme saline-alkali environments, as well as in-depth studies of salt tolerance mechanisms, are particularly welcome, as they would aid in the discovery of new microbial germplasm resources and development of microbial fertilizer products to improve the productivity of saline-alkali lands.

Subtopics that can be discussed include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Group screening and molecular identification of salt tolerant microorganisms in various soil ecosystems, including chloride saline-alkali soil, sulfate chloride or chloride sulfate saline soil, soda saline soil, sulfate saline soil, nitrate saline soil, and others;
- Mechanisms of adaptive responses of microorganisms to salt stress and possible signal transmission;
- Productive functions and product development of salt-tolerant microorganisms;
- Ecological functions of microorganisms in saline-alkali lands, such as climate change, element cycling, pollutant degradation, and so on;
- Identification of rhizosphere microbial resources in salt-tolerant plants, such as Suaeda salsa, Salicornia europaea, Tamarix chinensis, Haloxylon ammodendron, and so on.