Structured succession of a cross-kingdom microbiome drives degradation and detoxification of oolong tea waste

Abstract

The spontaneous aerobic degradation of oolong tea waste offers a promising but underexplored route for sustainable waste valorization. In this study, we used whole-genome metagenomic sequencing to examine microbial succession and functional gene dynamics over a 35-day degradation period. Our results uncovered a three-phase ecological progression: an initial mesophilic phase (Days 0–7) dominated by Pseudomonadota, which reached 93.4% relative abundance and specialized in simple substrate utilization; a thermotolerant transition (Days 8-15, 30-33°C) characterized by increased abundance of glycoside hydrolases (GH5, GH13); and a maturation phase (Days 16–35) marked by the emergence of lignocellulose-degrading taxa such as Cellulomonas and Microbacterium, accompanied by a 78% reduction in antibiotic resistance genes. Profiling of carbohydrate-active enzymes revealed a sequential shift from pectinases (GH28) to hemicellulases (GH43), while mobile genetic elements declined substantially during the maturation phase. These results indicate that tea waste degradation follows structured microbial succession patterns influenced by abiotic factors and suggests a potential self-purification capacity through the attenuation of antibiotic resistance genes. This study establishes a foundation for optimizing composting processes and designing targeted bioaugmentation strategies to enhance tea waste valorization.