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Updated: Jun 10, 2025

Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations

Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations

Published on: September 11, 2016

Anthropogenic impacts on the terrestrial subsurface biosphere.

Kaela K Amundson¹, Mikayla A Borton¹, Michael J Wilkins²

¹Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.

Nature Reviews. Microbiology

|October 15, 2024

Summary

Human activities transform Earth's subsurface, altering microbial communities and ecosystem functions. Understanding these impacts is crucial for managing resources and infrastructure effectively.

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Area of Science:

Geomicrobiology
Environmental Science
Subsurface Science

Background:

The terrestrial subsurface hosts Earth's largest microbial reservoir.
Subsurface environments are vital for energy resources, waste storage, and carbon sequestration.
Anthropogenic activities significantly alter subsurface conditions and microbial life.

Purpose of the Study:

To review emerging research on the impacts of human activities on the terrestrial subsurface biosphere.
To explore how human actions modify microbial life constraints in the subsurface.
To examine the consequences of microbial changes on resource recovery and infrastructure.

Main Methods:

Literature review of emerging research.
Analysis of anthropogenic impacts (drilling, mining, contamination, resource extraction).
Investigation of microbial responses and their effects on subsurface systems.

Main Results:

Human activities create new subsurface environments and introduce substrates, markedly shifting microbiome structure and function.
Microbial changes can have unintended effects on ecosystem function.
Microorganisms impact resource recovery and subsurface infrastructure.

Conclusions:

Anthropogenic alterations to the subsurface biosphere are profound and complex.
Managing subsurface microbial changes is challenging but essential for sustainable resource management and infrastructure integrity.
Further research is needed to fully understand and mitigate the impacts of human activities on subsurface ecosystems.