Archive · 17 Nov 2025
Scientists Launch Global Effort to Protect Microbes, Essential for Ecosystems
Scientists are starting a worldwide team to protect tiny living things called microbes.
These little guys are super important for keeping forests, oceans, and animals healthy.
They also help slow down climate change.
But their homes are being destroyed or polluted, so they're in danger too.
The team plans to find special places where lots of different microbes live, collect samples, and study how to keep them safe.
By saving the microbes, they hope to help save entire ecosystems and make farming easier and cheaper.
A new global initiative, the Microbial Conservation Specialist Group, has been formed to protect microbial diversity.
Microbes are crucial for the health of entire ecosystems, including plants, animals, and oceans.
Fungi, a separate lineage from animals and plants, are also facing extinction, with one-third of assessed species at risk.
Threats to microbes include habitat destruction from deforestation and agriculture, climate change, and pollution.
Conserving microbes offers benefits such as ecosystem support, climate change mitigation, coral reef restoration, and agricultural advancements.
- Who
- International scientists, including microbiologists and conservationists
- What
- Launching a new global initiative to protect microbial diversity
- When
- This month (referring to the announcement of IUCN updates)
- Where
- Globally, including Antarctica, coral reefs, soil, and agricultural lands
- Why
- Microbes are vital for ecosystems, climate regulation, and human benefits, but are under severe threat from human activities and environmental changes
Pro-Microbe Conservation
Pragmatic Conservation
Priority of Microbes
Pro-Microbe Conservation
Microbes should be a top priority in conservation efforts due to their crucial role in ecosystems and climate regulation.
Pragmatic Conservation
While important, microbes should not overshadow more visible and charismatic species in conservation efforts.
Feasibility of Conservation
Pro-Microbe Conservation
Conservation efforts can be successful, as seen with the green sea turtle's recovery, and should be applied to microbes.
Pragmatic Conservation
Conserving microbes may be challenging due to their vast diversity and invisibility, requiring more research and resources.
- New Group Formed
- Microbial Conservation Specialist Group
- Lead Researchers
- Jack Gilbert (UC San Diego), Raquel Peixoto (KAUST)
- Scope of Concern
- Microbes, Fungi, Plants, Animals
- Threats to Microbes
- Habitat destruction (soil loss, deforestation), climate change, pollution
- Potential Benefits of Conservation
- Ecosystem stability, climate change mitigation, agricultural support, coral reef health
- Current Status of Fungi Assessment
- 1,300 species evaluated, one-third at risk of extinction