The invisible architects: microbial communities and their transformative role in soil health and global climate changes

During the last decades, substantial advancements have been made in identifying soil characteristics that impact the composition of the soil microbiome. However, the impacts of microorganisms on their respective soil habitats have received less attention, with the majority of prior research focusing on the contributions of microbes to the dynamics of soil carbon and nitrogen. Soil microbiome plays a critical role in soil habitats by influencing soil fertility, crop yields, and biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. In addition to their roles in nutrient cycling and organic matter transformations, soil microorganisms affect the soil environment via many biochemical and biophysical mechanisms. For instance, the…