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The Earth likely hosts over 10^12 microbial species, a vast underestimation in previous studies. This research corrects biodiversity estimates, revealing the true scale of microbial biodiversity.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Ecology
  • Biodiversity Science

Background:

  • Global biodiversity estimates traditionally focused on macroorganisms, significantly underestimating microbial life.
  • Previous estimates suggested around 10^6 bacterial and archaeal taxa, contradicting ecological models.
  • The Global Prokaryotic Census (GPC) provided a dataset but its interpretation was debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To resolve the discrepancy between GPC estimates and theoretical predictions of microbial biodiversity.
  • To re-evaluate microbial diversity using established ecological theories and corrected data analysis.

Main Methods:

  • Identified and corrected violations of sampling theory within the GPC data.
  • Addressed the misuse of biodiversity theory in previous analyses of microbial taxa.
  • Conducted a reanalysis of the Global Prokaryotic Census data.

Main Results:

  • The reanalysis revealed greater support for diversity-abundance scaling laws and the lognormal model of biodiversity.
  • Corrected analysis indicates Earth may host 10^12 or more microbial taxa.
  • This revised estimate aligns theoretical predictions with empirical data, highlighting the vastness of microbial life.

Conclusions:

  • The true microbial biodiversity is vastly underestimated by current census data.
  • Established biodiversity models accurately predict microbial diversity when data is properly analyzed.
  • Future research should incorporate corrected methodologies to fully appreciate Earth's microbial biosphere.