Global soil microbiomes: A new frontline of biome-ecology research (vol 31, pg 1120, 2022)

Summary: Organisms in different ecosystems on Earth form distinct communities, and understanding their patterns and functions is crucial for biodiversity conservation. Current terrestrial biome classifications are insufficient in representing the diversity patterns of soil microbes. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing and statistical clustering to define soil microbiomes on a global scale. We found strong correlations among different microbial groups and identified pH and temperature as the main environmental drivers of soil microbiome structure. These findings have important implications for theoretical and applied biodiversity research.