This study compared soil bacterial and fungal communities across selenium-impacted mining soils in Enshi, China. Soil gallium was highest in the control soils and lower in the selenium-contaminated soils. Gallium was one of several elements correlated with bacterial community composition.
Key numbers
- Soil gallium, mean ± SD, mg/kg: control 27.76 ± 1.81, low selenium 20.1 ± 2.24, high selenium 10.24 ± 3.59 (chemistry table). Letters in the table mark significant pairwise differences. The group size for the chemistry means is not stated next to the table.
- 30 soil samples were collected for DNA sequencing (Methods).
- Mantel tests: gallium was among the elements positively correlated with microbial community composition. Random forest: chromium, titanium, nickel, gallium, and selenium were the most influential elemental predictors of bacterial diversity (Results).
Methods (brief)
Soils were collected at Enshi (about 30°10’ N, 109°46’ E). Metal contents were measured by ICP-MS. Communities were profiled by amplicon sequencing. Associations used Mantel tests and random forests.
Evidence fitness
Supports soil gallium concentrations at three selenium levels and a statistical association with soil bacteria. Does not support an effect on the human gut, and the correlation is not specific to gallium.
Limitations
Gallium declined as selenium rose, so the microbial association is not isolated from the rest of the metal mixture. Chemistry group sizes are not stated in the main table note used here.
Related evidence
Update history
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