Effects of Shelterbelts on Soil Archaea Community and Methane Oxidation Potential in the Taklimakan Desert

The Taklimakan Desert is extremely arid, with scarce soil carbon and water resources. Although shelterbelt establishment can alter the soil environment, the relationship between archaeal communities and methane oxidation indicators during vegetation restoration remains unclear. To examine this relationship, soil samples were collected from bare sand areas and shelterbelt plots, including the 0–10 cm topsoil layer and the 10–40 cm subsoil layer. Soil physicochemical properties, archaeal community composition, pmoA abundance, and methane monooxygenase (MMO)-related indicators were measured. Associations between shelterbelt-induced soil environmental changes, archaeal functional potential, and methane oxidation were investigated. Significant differences were observed in the soil environment of shelterbelt plots; the pH of the topsoil decreased from 8.21 to 7.73, while soil organic carbon (SOC) increased by 146.88%. Soil water content (SWC) in the subsoil layer increased by 846.15%. Higher archaeal diversity was detected in shelterbelt plots. The Shannon index in the topsoil rose by 26.21%, and microbial diversity associated with carbon and nitrogen cycles increased concurrently. The pmoA gene copy number and MMO-related indicators in shelterbelt soils were significantly higher than those in bare sandy areas, indicating elevated functional potential for methane oxidation. Random forest analysis revealed that environmental factors associated with the target functional indicators varied across soil layers, and no single strongly correlated factor was identified. These findings advance understanding of soil archaea and methane-cycle-related functions following artificial vegetation establishment in deserts and provide a reference for ecological restoration of desert highway shelterbelts and research on soil carbon cycling in arid regions.