Microbiome-inspired solutions to save human and planetary health

Area of Science:

• Microbiology and Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Microbial communities are fundamental to nutrient cycling, energy flow, and ecosystem stability.
• Human activities in the Anthropocene have caused significant loss of microbial diversity in various environments.
• The critical role of microbiomes is often overlooked in conservation and public health initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the essential role of microbial diversity for ecosystem resilience.
• To address the knowledge and intervention gap concerning microbiome underrepresentation.
• To advocate for microbiome-based strategies for restoring microbial diversity and enhancing Planetary Health.

Main Methods:

• Review of current understanding of microbial community functions.
• Analysis of the impact of Anthropocene-driven human activities on microbial diversity.
• Exploration of emerging microbiome-based approaches for conservation and public health.

Main Results:

• Microbial diversity is indispensable for the health and resilience of ecosystems and living organisms.
• Substantial losses in microbial diversity have been observed in environmental and host-associated microbiomes.
• A significant gap exists in the integration of microbiome considerations into conservation and public health strategies.

Conclusions:

• Restoring microbial diversity through microbiome approaches offers promising solutions for Planetary Health.
• Coordinated global policies and interdisciplinary collaboration are necessary to achieve these goals.
• Recognizing microbes as essential partners is key to sustaining life on Earth.