# The Remediation of Arsenic-Contaminated Soil by Pteris vittata L. Facilitates the Recovery of Soil Bacterial Diversity and Network Complexity

## TL;DR

This study shows that using Pteris vittata L. to clean up arsenic-polluted soil helps restore soil health and microbial diversity.

## Contribution

The study reveals how Pteris vittata L. remediation recovers soil bacterial networks and diversity affected by arsenic contamination.

## Key findings

- Long-term arsenic contamination reduces soil nutrients and simplifies bacterial networks.
- Pteris vittata L. remediation increases soil nutrients and restores bacterial diversity and network complexity.
- The plant helps recover keystone taxa and ecosystem functions degraded by arsenic.

## Abstract

The remediation of contaminated soils is essential for restoring land productivity and soil health. Pteris vittata L., an arsenic hyperaccumulator, has been widely used for phytoremediation, yet its ecological effects on soil systems remain insufficiently understood. In this field study, we evaluated the influence of Pteris vittata L. remediation on soil physico-chemical properties, microbial diversity, and molecular ecological networks. The results showed that long-term arsenic contamination significantly reduced soil total carbon, total nitrogen, and available phosphorus, simplified bacterial network structures, and markedly altered the keystone taxa that maintain microbial interactions. In contrast, soils under Pteris vittata L. remediation exhibited higher nutrient availability, greater bacterial diversity, and more complex microbial networks than contaminated soils, indicating partial recovery of ecosystem functions. These findings demonstrate that Pteris vittata L. remediation can mitigate arsenic-induced soil degradation and provide an important scientific basis for assessing the long-term impacts of arsenic contamination and the role of remediation measures in soil health evolution.