Publications

On this page you find

I- Articles

Citation: Bourhane Z., Lanzén A., Cagnon C., Ben Said O., Mahmoudi E., Coulon F., Atai E., Borja A., Cravo-Laureau C., Duran R. (2022). IF(2022) = 14.3

About the paper: Here we identify contamination-driven alterations in microbial community structure across the soil–river–lake continuum, enabling the detection of robust microbial biomarkers for environmental monitoring.

Scope: We investigated the changes in microbial diversity and community composition across the soil–river–lake continuum, aiming to link these alterations to environmental contamination and identify microbial biomarkers indicative of ecosystem health.

Impact: We provide a framework for using microbial community shifts as sensitive biomarkers of contamination, offering practical tools for environmental monitoring, early detection of pollution, and management of soil and aquatic ecosystems.

My contribution: Conceptualisation, Investigation, Resources, Formal analysis, Writing – original draft.

More information:

Authorship:

Position of Bourhane: 1

Total number of authors: 10

Journal information

Peer-review process: Received: 16 February 2021; Accepted: 28 July 2021; Published: February 2022

Citation: Bourhane Z., Cagnon C., Cravo-Laureau C., Duran R. et al. (2023). IF(2023) = 5.5

About the paper:
The study investigates the vertical stratification of microbial communities in the Salineta hypersaline wetland, a highly saline wetland ecosystem. Using sequencing and microbial ecology analyses, the paper characterizes how microbial diversity and community composition vary with sediment depth and environmental gradients, highlighting the ecological roles of microorganisms in hypersaline conditions.

Scope: We investigated the vertical distribution of microbial taxa and functional groups in sediment layers, assessing how salinity, oxygen, and nutrient gradients shape community structure and ecosystem functioning.

Impact: We provide insights into the depth-dependent organization of microbial communities in hypersaline wetlands, revealing potential microbial indicators of environmental conditions and enhancing understanding of biogeochemical processes in extreme ecosystems.

My contribution: Conducted experimental and performed the bioinformatics and wrote the original draft and biostatistics analyses

More information:

Authorship:

Position of Bourhane: 1

Total number of authors: 7

Journal information

Peer-review process: Received: 5 February 2022; Accepted: 3 January 2023; Published: 27 January 2023

Citation: Amato, P et al (includes Bourhane, Z). (2023). IF(2023) = 5.5

About the paper: This review article examines the aeromicrobiome, the microbial communities inhabiting the Earth’s atmosphere. It synthesizes current knowledge on the diversity, dynamics, and environmental drivers of airborne microbes, highlighting how the atmosphere acts as a selective and dynamic layer connecting terrestrial, aquatic, and human-associated microbiomes.

Scope: We reviewed studies on the composition, functional roles, dispersal mechanisms, and ecological significance of airborne microbial communities, emphasizing factors that shape the aeromicrobiome across spatial and temporal scales.

Impact: We provide a comprehensive overview that frames the atmosphere as a key component of the Earth’s microbiome, offering insights into microbial transport, ecosystem connectivity, climate interactions, and implications for environmental monitoring and public health.

My contribution: contributed to the article writing and approved the submitted version.

More information:

Authorship:

Position of Bourhane: 5

Total number of authors: 9

Journal information

Peer-review process:

Received: 16 March 2023; Accepted: 24 April 2023; Published: 16 May 2023

II- Submitted Papers (available upon request)

  • Unveiling the metagenomic profiles of Pyrenean thermal waters. Under review in Microbiome.

Bourhane Z1/4, Duran R, Preud’homme H, Cravo-Laureau C. (2026).

  • Metagenomic insights into microbial dynamics under redox conditions in a hypersaline wetland soil using Indicator of Redox in Soils (IRIS) films. Under review in FEMS.

Bourhane Z1/5*, Cagnon C., Cravo-Laureau C., Castañeda C, Duran R. (2026)

  • Genome-resolved analyses disentangle the strategies of hypersaline microbiomes and metabolic interactions within a hydrological gradient. Under review in Enviro Science & Technol journal

Liu B, Bourhane Z2/9, Yoa Jun P, Castañeda C, Cagnon C, Cravo-Laureau C, Ma B., Chen Z., Duran R. (2026)

  • Effects of pollution on the activity of the soil/sediment microbial communities from a soil-river-lake continuum in Ichkeul Lagoon. Under review in Environmrental Pollution

Kouchou A, Tadist F, Bourhane Z3/7, Ben Said O, Rais N, Duran R, El Ghachtouli N. (2026)

  • Assessing climate change impact using bioindicators on the complex Ichkeul Lake, Tunisia. Under review in Frontiers in Microbiology.

Bem Salem F, Ben Said O, Bourhane Z3/8, Sahbani A, …, Duran R. (2026)

III- Peer-reviewing activity

My scientific expertise has led me to several invitations to take part in the peer-review system that ensures the rigorous standards of the scientific process. In particular, I have reviewed articles for the following journals:

  • 1 for Environmental Pollution. IF(2024)=7.3, JCR rank (2024) 2/73 (D1)
  • 1 for Environmental Research. IF(2024)=7.7, JCR rank (2025) 7/73 (D1)
  • 1 for Microbial Ecology (Springer). IF(2024)=4, JCR rank (2024) 8/52 (Q1)
  • 1 for Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences (Springer). IF(2024)=1, JCR rank (2022) 10/52 (Q1)

  • 1 for Scientific Reports. (2024)

    ** All stated reviews have been certified by Publons/ ResearcherID: OWA-4138-2025