Soil particle and moisture-related factors determine landward distribution of bacterial communities in a lateral riverside continuum of the Xilin River Basin

Continuous landscape components along the lateral riverside are affected by both hydrologic connectivity and disconnectivity. In recent years, anthropogenic activities climate changes have caused wetland shrinkage land degradation of many arid semiarid regions. Since microorganisms major drivers soil biochemical cycling, it is essential to examine microbial communities continuum understand their ecosystem functioning predict future changes. Here, we collected samples a riverbed center-riverbed edge-oxbow lake-floodplain-terrace (i.e., landward distribution) in Xilin River Basin, Inner Mongolia, China. The floodplain had highest diversity heterogeneity, with Bacteroidetes, ?- ?-Proteobacteria being most abundant taxa. contrast, terrace lowest Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Gemmatimonadetes, ?-Proteobacteria as Silt particle, salinity, moisture were influential factors for variation bacterial continuum. Altogether, demonstrate that dominant lineages, particles, moisture-related valuable indicators this continuum, which can be leveraged early prediction drought-induced grassland desertification.