Soil microbiome resilience under anthropogenic stressors
Abstract
Soil is the foundation of terrestrial ecosystems and its microbiome represents one of the most diverse and functionally significant communities on Earth. The soil microbiome plays an indispensable role in nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, organic matter decomposition, soil fertility maintenance and plant health regulation. However, anthropogenic stressors such as agricultural intensification, pollution, climate change and urbanization increasingly threaten soil microbial diversity and functionality. While many disturbances lead to microbial dysbiosis, the soil microbiome demonstrates remarkable resilience, maintaining or recovering ecosystem functions through mechanisms like functional redundancy, horizontal gene transfer, microbial interactions and symbioses. This article explores the nature of soil microbiome resilience under anthropogenic pressures, highlighting both its adaptive capacity and its vulnerabilities. Understanding these dynamics is essential for sustaining soil health, global food production and climate regulation in the Anthropocene.