The soil crisis: the need to treat as a global health problem and the pivotal role of microbes in prophylaxis and therapy

Microbial Biotechnology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 14(3), P. 769 - 797

Published: March 10, 2021

Summary Soil provides a multitude of services that are essential to healthily functioning biosphere and continuity the human race, such as feeding growing population sequestration carbon needed counteract global warming. Healthy soil availability is limiting parameter in provision number these services. As result anthropogenic abuses, natural warming‐promoted extreme weather events, Planet Earth currently experiencing an unprecedented crisis deterioration, desertification erosive loss increasingly prejudices it provides. Such pivotal Sustainability Development Goals formulated by United Nations. Immediate coordinated action on scale urgently required slow ultimately reverse healthy soils. Despite ‘dirt‐dust’, non‐vital appearance soil, highly dynamic living entity, whose life overwhelmingly microbial. The microbiota, which constitutes greatest reservoir donor microbial diversity Earth, acts vast bioreactor, mediating myriad chemical reactions turn biogeochemical cycles, recycle wastes, purify water, underpin other Fuelling belowground bioreactor aboveground plant photosynthetic surface captures solar energy, fixes inorganic CO 2 organic carbon, channels fixed energy into soil. In order muster effective response crisis, avoid further restore unhealthy soils, we need new coherent approach, namely deal with soils worldwide patients health care create (i) public system for development policies land use, conservation, restoration, recommendations prophylactic measures, monitoring identification problems (epidemiology), organizing responses, etc., (ii) healthcare charged care: promotion good practices, implementation prophylaxis institution therapies treatment restoration drylands. These systems be national but there also desperate international coordination. To enable effective, evidence‐based strategies will efforts systems, substantial investment wide‐ranging interdisciplinary research disease mandatory. This must lead level understanding soil:biota functionalities underlying key ecosystem enables formulation diagnosis‐prophylaxis‐therapy pathways sustainable protection different types resources climatic zones. conservation‐regenerative‐restorative measures complemented educative‐political‐economic‐legislative framework incentives encouraging knowledge, policy, economic others, laws promote adherence principles restorative management. And: all engaged improving health; everyone has duty ( https://www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/why‐soil‐is‐one‐of‐the‐most‐amazing‐things‐on‐eart/p090cf64 ). Creative application microbes, microbiomes biotechnology central successful operation systems.

Language: Английский

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Scientific novelty beyond the experiment

Microbial Biotechnology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 16(6), P. 1131 - 1173

Published: Feb. 14, 2023

Practical experiments drive important scientific discoveries in biology, but theory-based research studies also contribute novel-sometimes paradigm-changing-findings. Here, we appraise the roles of approaches focusing on experiment-dominated wet-biology areas microbial growth and survival, cell physiology, host-pathogen interactions, competitive or symbiotic interactions. Additional examples relate to analyses genome-sequence data, climate change planetary health, habitability, astrobiology. We assess importance thought at each step process; natural philosophy, inconsistencies logic language, as drivers progress; value experiments; use limitations artificial intelligence technologies, including their potential for interdisciplinary transdisciplinary research; other instances when theory is most-direct most-scientifically robust route novelty development techniques practical experimentation fieldwork. highlight intrinsic need human engagement innovation, an issue pertinent ongoing controversy over papers authored using/authored by (such large language model/chatbot ChatGPT). Other issues discussed are way which aspects can bias thinking towards spatial rather than temporal (and how this biased lead skewed terminology); receptivity that non-mainstream; science education epistemology. Whereas briefly classic works (those Oakes Ames, Francis H.C. Crick James D. Watson, Charles R. Darwin, Albert Einstein, E. Lovelock, Lynn Margulis, Gilbert Ryle, Erwin R.J.A. Schrödinger, Alan M. Turing, others), focus microbiology more-recent, discussing these context process types they represent. These include several carried out during 2020 2022 lockdowns COVID-19 pandemic access laboratories was disallowed (or limited). interviewed authors some featured microbiology-related and-although ourselves involved laboratory fieldwork-also drew from our own experiences showing such not only produce new findings transcend barriers between disciplines, act counter reductionism, integrate biological data across different timescales levels complexity, circumvent constraints imposed techniques. In relation urgent needs, believe global challenges may require beyond experiment.

Language: Английский

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Compendium of 530 metagenome-assembled bacterial and archaeal genomes from the polar Arctic Ocean

Nature Microbiology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 6(12), P. 1561 - 1574

Published: Nov. 15, 2021

Language: Английский

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Ecological and Evolutionary Implications of Microbial Dispersal

Frontiers in Microbiology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 13

Published: April 6, 2022

Dispersal is simply defined as the movement of species across space and time. Despite this terse definition, dispersal an essential process with direct ecological evolutionary implications that modulate community assembly turnover. Seminal studies have shown environmental context (e.g., local edaphic properties, resident community), timing frequency, traits, collectively account for patterns distribution resulting in either their persistence or unsuccessful establishment within communities. key importance process, relatively little known about how operates microbiomes divergent systems types. Here, we discuss parallels macro- micro-organismal ecology a focus on idiosyncrasies may lead to novel mechanisms by which affects structure function microbiomes. Within implications, revise short- long-distance microbial through active passive mechanisms, coalescence, these align recent advances metacommunity theory. Conversely, enumerate can affect diversification rates promoting gene influxes communities and/or shifting genes allele frequencies

Language: Английский

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A framework for integrating microbial dispersal modes into soil ecosystem ecology

iScience, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 25(3), P. 103887 - 103887

Published: Feb. 10, 2022

Dispersal is a fundamental community assembly process that maintains soil microbial biodiversity across spatial and temporal scales, yet the impact of dispersal on ecosystem function largely unpredictable. unique in it contributes to both ecological evolutionary processes shaped by deterministic stochastic forces. The ecosystem-level ramifications outcomes are further compounded dormancy dynamics environmental selection. Here we review knowledge gaps challenges remain defining how dispersal, filtering, interact influence relationship between structure soils. We propose classification into three categories, through vegetative or active cells, dormant acellular each with spatiotemporal trait associations. This conceptual framework should improve integration structure-function relationships.

Language: Английский

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Persistent Desert Microbiota in the Southern European Sky

Environmental Microbiology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 27(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

Long-range atmospheric processes facilitate global microbial dispersal, with a pivotal role in Earth's ecosystem functioning and health. Aerobiological studies have traditionally focused on low troposphere aerosols, leading to the assumption that airborne communities are primarily controlled by neighbouring ecosystems. We show temporal sampling of aerosols from free extending period almost three decades, coupled study both high air masses provenances genetic data topsoils North Africa public bacterial database. The results unveil long-lasting influence African desert microorganisms Southern Europe. Although sea spray dominates aerosol emissions, predominance was widespread even rain traced back Atlantic Ocean. frequency dust outbreaks, altitude reached, long residence times postulated as critical factors significantly shape long-range persistence aerial assemblages, mass provenance playing secondary role. This advances current understanding microorganisms, underscoring their close relationship terrestrial Further research is needed fully understand intercontinental connections deserts drylands elsewhere, immigrants worldwide

Language: Английский

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Global Connectivity of Southern Ocean Ecosystems

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 9

Published: Aug. 4, 2021

Southern Ocean ecosystems are globally important. Processes in the Antarctic atmosphere, cryosphere, and directly influence global atmospheric oceanic systems. biogeochemistry has also been shown to have importance. In contrast, ocean ecological processes often seen as largely separate from rest of system. this paper, we consider degree connectivity at different trophic levels, linking with ocean, their importance not only for regional ecosystem but wider Earth We human system connections, including role supporting society, culture, economy many nations, influencing public political views hence policy. Rather than being defined by barriers particular fronts, changes gradual due cross-front exchanges involving oceanographic organism movement. Millions seabirds hundreds thousands cetaceans move north out polar waters austral autumn interacting food webs across Hemisphere, a few species cross equator. A number migrate into east west ocean-basin boundary current continental shelf regions major southern continents. Human travel region includes fisheries, tourism, scientific vessels all sectors. These operations arise particularly Northern important local communities well national economic, scientific, activities. As result extensive connectivity, future will consequences throughout system, affecting services socio-economic impacts world. The high level means that policy decisions marine outside south Polar Front. Knowledge is critical interpreting change, projecting change impacts, identifying integrated strategies conserving managing both broader

Language: Английский

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New insights into the structure, microbial diversity and ecology of yellow biofilms in a Paleolithic rock art cave (Pindal Cave, Asturias, Spain)

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 897, P. 165218 - 165218

Published: July 6, 2023

In the absence of sunlight, caves harbor a great diversity microbial colonies to extensive biofilms with different sizes and colors visible naked eye. One most widespread types biofilm are those yellow hues that can constitute serious problem for conservation cultural heritage in many caves, such as Pindal Cave (Asturias, Spain). This cave, declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO its Paleolithic parietal art, shows high degree development represents real threat painted engraved figures. study aims to: 1) identify structures characteristic taxa composing biofilms, 2) seek linked microbiome reservoir primarily contributing their growth; 3) seed light on driving vectors contribute formation determine subsequent proliferation spatial distribution. To achieve this goal, we used amplicon-based massive sequencing, combination other techniques microscopy, situ hybridization environmental monitoring, compare communities drip waters, cave sediments exterior soil. The results revealed related phylum Actinomycetota bacteria represented genera wb1-P19, Crossiella, Nitrospira, Arenimonas. Our findings suggest serve potential reservoirs colonization sites these develop into under favorable substrate conditions, particular affinity speleothems rugged-surfaced rocks found condensation-prone areas. presents an exhaustive which could be procedure identification similar design effective strategies valuable heritage.

Language: Английский

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Arrive and wait: Inactive bacterial taxa contribute to perceived soil microbiome resilience after a multidecadal press disturbance

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 27(3)

Published: March 1, 2024

Long-term (press) disturbances like the climate crisis and other anthropogenic pressures are fundamentally altering ecosystems their functions. Many critical ecosystem functions, such as biogeochemical cycling, facilitated by microbial communities. Understanding functional consequences of microbiome responses to press requires ongoing observations active populations that contribute This study leverages a 7-year time series 60-year-old coal seam fire (Centralia, Pennsylvania, USA) examine resilience soil bacterial microbiomes disturbance. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we assessed interannual dynamics subset 'whole' community. Contrary our hypothesis, whole communities demonstrated greater than subsets, suggesting inactive members contributed overall structural resilience. Thus, in addition selection mechanisms populations, perceived is also supported dispersal, persistence, revival from local dormant pool.

Language: Английский

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Landscape connectivity for the invisibles

Ecography, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 2022(8)

Published: May 13, 2022

Because of land use changes, a worldwide decrease in biodiversity is underway, mostly driven by habitat degradation and fragmentation. Increasing landscape connectivity (i.e. the degree to which facilitates movement between patches) has been proposed as key landscape‐level strategy counterbalance negative effects A robust theoretical methodological framework developed for concept connectivity, an increasing body empirical evidence supports relevance biodiversity. However, was built ignoring species that represent dominant proportion on earth: microorganisms. The extent existing conceptual frameworks can be applied microorganisms remain unknown. We reviewed analyzed methods test influence included all types microorganisms, from symbiotic pathogenic free‐living across ecosystems. describe effect microorganism populations communities, identify limitations large gaps current knowledge. Microorganisms differ macroorganisms their response due short (distance less than meter) dispersal distance some groups, longer time lag (possibly accompanied evolutionary processes) host association. latter relies tight interactions feedback drive microbial‐landscape relationships lead possible coadaptation processes. Incorporating microbial community assembly rules preserve diversity communities ecosystem services they provide could crucial step forward face pressing global changes.

Language: Английский

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