Bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms in the environment (i.e., environmental microbiomes) provide vital ecosystem services and affect human health. Despite their importance, public awareness of environmental microbiomes has lagged behind that of human microbiomes. A key problem has been a scarcity of research demonstrating the microbial connections across environmental biomes (e.g., marine, soil) and between environmental and human microbiomes. We show in the present article, through analyses of almost 10,000 microbiome papers and three global data sets, that there are significant taxonomic similarities in microbial communities across biomes, but very little cross-biome research exists. This disconnect may be hindering advances in microbiome knowledge and translation. In this article, we highlight current and potential applications of environmental microbiome research and the benefits of an interdisciplinary, cross-biome approach. Microbiome scientists need to engage with each other, government, industry, and the public to ensure that research and applications proceed ethically, maximizing the potential benefits to society.
History
Publication title
Bioscience
Volume
70
Issue
7
Pagination
589-596
ISSN
0006-3568
Department/School
Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies
Publisher
Amer Inst Biological Sci
Place of publication
1444 Eye St, Nw, Ste 200, Washington, USA, Dc, 20005
Rights statement
Copyright 2020 the authors
Repository Status
Restricted
Socio-economic Objectives
Public health (excl. specific population health) not elsewhere classified; Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences