Permafrost active layer soils are harsh environments with thaw/freeze cycles and sub-zero temperatures, harboring diverse microorganisms. However, the distribution patterns, assembly mechanism, and driving forces of soil microeukaryotes in permafrost remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated microeukaryotes in permafrost active layer across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) using 18S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed that the microbial eukaryotic communities were dominated by Nematozoa, Ciliophora, Ascomycota, Cercozoa, Arthropoda, and Basidiomycota in terms of relative abundance and operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness. Nematozoa had the highest relative abundance, while Ciliophora had the highest OTU richness. These phyla had strong interactions between each other. Their alpha diversity and community structure were differently influenced by the factors associated to location, climate, and soil properties, particularly the soil properties. Significant but weak distance-decay relationships with different slopes were established for the communities of these dominant phyla, except for Basidiomycota. According to the null model, community assemblies of Nematozoa and Cercozoa were dominated by heterogeneous selection, Ciliophora and Ascomycota were dominated by dispersal limitation, while Arthropoda and Basidiomycota were highly dominated by non-dominant processes. The assembly mechanisms can be jointly explained by biotic interactions, organism treats, and environmental influences. Modules in the co-occurrence network of the microeukaryotes were composed by members from different taxonomic groups. These modules also had interactions and responded to different environmental factors, within which, soil properties had strong influences on these modules. The results suggested the importance of biological interactions and soil properties in structuring microbial eukaryotic communities in permafrost active layer soil across the QTP.

Permafrost degradation may induce soil carbon (C) loss, critical for global C cycling, and be mediated by microbes. Despite larger C stored within the active layer of permafrost regions, which are more affected by warming, and the critical roles of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in C cycling, most previous studies focused on the permafrost layer and in high-latitude areas. We demonstrate in situ that permafrost degradation alters the diversity and potentially decreases the stability of active layer microbial communities. These changes are associated with soil C loss and potentially a positive C feedback. This study provides insights into microbial-mediated mechanisms responsible for C loss within the active layer in degraded permafrost, aiding in the modeling of C emission under future scenarios.

Permafrost degradation may induce soil carbon (C) loss, critical for global C cycling, and be mediated by microbes. Despite larger C stored within the active layer of permafrost regions, which are more affected by warming, and the critical roles of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in C cycling, most previous studies focused on the permafrost layer and in high-latitude areas. We demonstrate in situ that permafrost degradation alters the diversity and potentially decreases the stability of active layer microbial communities. These changes are associated with soil C loss and potentially a positive C feedback. This study provides insights into microbial-mediated mechanisms responsible for C loss within the active layer in degraded permafrost, aiding in the modeling of C emission under future scenarios.