Phosphate mining activities affect crop rhizosphere fungal communities

Phosphate mining releases heavy metals into the surrounding environment. In this study, the effects of phosphate mining on rhizosphere soil fungi in surrounding crops, including Lactuca sativa var. angustata, Glycine max (L.) Merr., and Triticum aestivum L., were assessed. Phosphate mining significantly reduced the crop rhizosphere fungal diversity (P < 0.05). The relative abundances of Fusarium and Epicoccum increased in mining rhizosphere soil compared with the baseline. Beta diversity analysis indicated that phosphate mining led to the differentiation of fungal community structure in plant rhizospheres. Guild analysis indicated that different plant rhizosphere fungi developed various guilds in response to phosphate mining stress. Nine fungi were isolated from soil samples, with solubilization index values ranging from 1.1 to 2.5. Two efficient phosphate solubilizers, Epicoccum nigrum and Fusarium verticillioides, were enriched in phosphate mining rhizosphere soil samples. The dissolution kinetics of inorganic phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase activity assay showed strong phosphorus dissolution ability of the isolated fungi. Penicillium aculeatum, Trichoderma harzianum, Chaetomium globosum, and F. verticillioides showed strong tolerance to multiple heavy metals. This study furthers our understanding of how rhizosphere fungal ecology is affected by phosphate mining and provides important resources for the remediation of phosphate mining soil pollution.