Abstract
Drylands cover a significant portion of the Earth’s surface and play a key role in maintaining global ecological balance. The Caatinga, with its unique biodiversity adapted to the extreme conditions of this semi-arid region, offers a valuable opportunity to expand our knowledge about these ecosystems. Here, this work reveals the high microbial diversity in the soil and rhizosphere of the Caatinga, with the roots presenting more specialized communities. Bacteria such as Bacilli, Alphaproteobacteria and Firmicutes excelled in critical functions such as nutrient cycling. The Interplant differences suggested the influence of root exudates. Altogether, the metagenomic study of interactions between microorganisms in the rhizosphere of selected plants revealed microbial biodiversity and contributed to our understanding of nutrient cycling, plant growth and resistance to water stress. In addition, they demonstrate biotechnological potential to address global challenges such as desertification and food security.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Magna Soelma Beserra de Moura from Embrapa Semi-arid, Petrolina, Recife, Brazil, for all her assistance with the logistics of sample collection and acquisition.We also thank the financial support from Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology/National Institute of Science and Technology in Synthetic Biology, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development/ Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Supply (465603/2014-9; 400145/2023-5), Research Support Foundation of the Federal District (0193.001.262/2017), and Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel.
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de Tacca, L.M.A., Lima, R.N., de Oliveira, M.A. et al. The soil microbiome of the Caatinga drylands in Brazil. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-50433-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-50433-1
