Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 4 — Narrative / commentaryPeer-reviewed

Interspecific dance: how bacteria, fungi, and plants interact to survive in polluted soils

Agata Kumor, Julia Borówka, Magdalena Noszczyńska

Applied Soil Ecology · 2025

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Summary

This review examines the multifaceted interactions among soil bacteria, fungi, and plants in polluted soil environments, demonstrating how synergistic and mutualistic relationships act as biocatalysts for contaminant elimination. The authors highlight that microbial interactions—particularly between bacteria and fungi—significantly enhance removal of recalcitrant organic and inorganic pollutants, whilst plant-microbe interactions modify rhizosphere chemistry to support microbial activity. Understanding these beneficial crosstalk mechanisms is proposed as essential for optimising bioremediation and phytoremediation strategies.

Regional applicability

The findings are potentially applicable to United Kingdom soil remediation practice, as polluted industrial and legacy sites are common in the UK; however, the review does not specify geographic context or UK-specific conditions. Transferability would depend on how soil type, climate, and pollutant profiles in UK contaminated sites compare to those addressed in the cited literature.

Key measures

Pollutant removal efficiency; microbial activity; plant growth promotion; rhizosphere parameter modification

Outcomes reported

The review synthesises evidence on how synergistic interactions among bacteria, fungi, and plants enhance the removal of organic and inorganic pollutants from contaminated soils. It discusses microbial plant growth-promoting mechanisms and rhizosphere modifications that improve bioremediation efficiency.

Theme
Farming systems, soils & land use
Subject
Soil biology & microbiology
Study type
Narrative Review
Study design
Narrative review
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
System type
Laboratory / in vitro
DOI
10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106238
Catalogue ID
SNmomgwvub-w14m9v

Topic tags

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