Rhizosphere microbial detoxification and phosphorus solubilization drive ecological remediation of Pb–Zn contaminated soils

Societal Impact Statement Heavy metal contamination of soils poses a serious threat to ecosystem health and food security worldwide. This study investigated how native plants, such as Artemisia annua and Buddleja davidii , interact with soil microbes in Pb–Zn waste slag areas. We found that these plants stimulate microbes, which improve phosphorus availability and reduce metal toxicity in the soil. These nature‐based solutions offer a sustainable and eco‐friendly way to restore polluted lands, supporting greener remediation policies and practices for contaminated environments globally. Summary Microorganisms are critical for phosphorus (P) turnover in heavy metal‐contaminated soils, with native plants enhancing these processes by shaping rhizosphere microbial communities. In extreme lead (Pb)–zinc (Zn) slag environments characterized by barrenness and high heavy metal stress, adaptive microbial mechanisms remain underexplored. This study investigates microbial functional genes related to P turnover in the rhizospheres of native plants Carex breviculmis , Artemisia annua , and Buddleja davidii colonizing Pb–Zn waste slag to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. The rhizospheres of A. annua and B. davidii showed increased abundance of genes involved in inorganic P solubilization, indicating their potential for improving soil health. Key P‐cycling genes, including gcd , phnGHKLMN , and phnT , were major predictors of soil available phosphorus (AP), with gcd exhibiting a significant positive correlation with AP. Metagenome‐assembled genomes (MAGs) revealed a diverse community harboring genes for both P cycling and heavy metal resistance. The co‐occurrence of gcd and zntA in Pseudomonadota and Actinomycetota suggests a dual role in P solubilization and metal detoxification, facilitating inorganic P release and efflux of Pb, Zn, and Cd. This gene co‐occurrence may be driven by horizontal gene transfer (HGT), with evidence for 822 potential HGT events detected at the phylum level, including two MAGs acquiring both zntA and gcd . These findings highlight how plant–microbe interactions regulate rhizosphere P cycling in Pb–Zn contaminated soils, demonstrating the potential of A. annua and B. davidii to promote microbial functions that enhance P bioavailability and metal detoxification for ecological remediation.