They provide services that are essential for human development and wellbeing, such as food and fibre production, nutrient cycling and climate regulation.
The scale of these communities is staggering. The microflora in soils are the most abundant group of organisms on Earth. A teaspoon of soil contains up to a billion bacteria, several metres of fungal filaments, and thousands of protozoa and nematodes.
Yet, like many plant and animal communities, microflora are facing new threats due to climate change.
Dry spell
One of the biggest concerns is the drying trend forecast for many regions across the world. Little is known about whether this increasing soil aridity will cause a loss of microbial diversity, or what the effects might be. Unlike plant and animal communities, the consequences of this loss of microbial diversity remain debatable.
Dryland ecosystems are crucially important, both to the environment and humans. They cover 41% of the Earth’s surface and are home to around 38% of the world’s people. They also harbour a rich and unique diversity of species, and play a critical role in the global carbon cycle.
Drylands are expanding, too. The most recent climate forecasts indicate that the global extent of drylands may increase by up to 23% by the end of this century. Despite this, there has so far been no global, systematic assessment of the bacteria, fungi and other microbes that live in these soils.
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