Microbial physiological trait shifts link heavy metal remediation to enhanced soil carbon storage potential.

Heavy-metal remediation increases microbial growth efficiency and soil carbon storage potential, reducing CO2 emissions in contaminated soils.

• Why it matters: Heavy metal pollution threatens soil ecosystem sustainability and limits carbon sequestration, but the microbial mechanisms linking remediation to carbon storage are poorly understood.
• What they did: The study tracked microbial metabolism, community changes, and physiological responses over 120 days in contaminated soils, analyzing microbial traits, gene functions, and biomolecular indicators.
• The result: Remediation decreased CO2 emissions while boosting microbial growth and carbon use efficiency, with microbial physiological traits playing a key role in enhancing soil carbon storage.