Salt stress-soil microbiome interactions: structure, diversity, and physiological functions

Salt stress is a major environmental challenge threatening soil health and agricultural ecosystems worldwide. Soil microbes exhibit remarkable diversity and play crucial roles in numerous ecological functions. They are important guarantees for soil health and sustainable ecosystem development. Understanding of soil microbial diversity and functionality in response to escalating soil salinity, however, remains incomplete. This chapter provides a critical overview of complex interplay between salt stress and soil microbiomes in diverse ecosystems, focusing on their structure, diversity, and physiological functions. Particularly, attention is directed toward the diversity of bacteria under soil salinization, alongside the alterations in their emergent functions. Additionally, diverse adaptation strategies adopted by microbiomes to cope with salt stress are discussed. Understanding these mechanisms can inform targeted interventions to enhance soil health, mitigate salinity impacts, and promote global food security in the face of rising environmental challenges.