ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY: HOW MICROBES IMPACT ECOSYSTEMS AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Abstract

Soil microorganisms are microscopic organisms that live inside the soil. They perform various vital functions while residing inside the soil. One of the important functions of soil microbes is the cycling of nutrients like carbon and nitrogen. Climate change becoming a threat to the living organisms on this planet. The soil microbes can effectively manage the impact of climate change. They make a balance of carbon and nitrogen between the soil and the atmosphere. They are also known as the guardians of the earth because they protect soil from degradation. They increase the fertility of the soil by degrading organic compounds inside the soil. Because of this property, these microbes are important for the enhancement of plant growth as they increase nutrient uptake by plants, provide nitrogen to the plant from the atmosphere via the process of nitrogen fixation and they produce some chemicals that act as plant growth-promoting substances. With a better understanding of soil microbes, we can enhance soil health, soil productivity, and water retention capacity of soil, and we can also increase crop yield with the use of these microbes. These microbes can be utilized for a cleaner environment because of their biodegradation, bioremediation, and phytoremediation roles in our environment. However, the problem is that climate change badly impacts the soil microbes and changes their optimal composition. Data- driven technologies can be utilized to enhance the growth of soil microbes and to mitigate the impact of climate change, sustainable agriculture, and a cleaner/safer ecosystem in the future.