Microbial diversity in soil and sediment and the impacts of climate change and pollution

Climate change and pollution are two of the biggest threats to the microbial communities that underpin soil ecosystems. Yet, these threats are rarely studied in tandem, limiting our ability to predict their future impacts on soil microbiome. Macronutrients, like carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, that circulate through biogeochemical and hydrogical cycles, are driven by adaptable and diverse soil microbial communities. This study examines the impact of temperature change on soil and sediment microbial communities, focusing on their diversity after pollution. Prediction is that the soil and sediment pollution will lead to an increase in AMR bacteria. Also, it is predicted that with added pollution the diversity will decrease in warmer temperatures the longer time will pass. Soil samples were collected from the Roman River Valley Nature Reserve and sediment samples from Brightlingsea Colne River estuary in Essex and subjected to chemical contamination under two temperature conditions (16oC and 20oC). For culturing, Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase plates were done and to study wider microbial community, 16S and 18S amplicon sequencing was conducted. The results were analysed using R studio. It was found that soil and sediment microbial community responded differently to warming and chemical stressors, with soils showing compositional stability and sediments displaying early sensitivity. Resource enrichment and warming increased microbial biomass, yet functional resilience may be compromised due to keystone taxa loss. These findings highlight the need for long-term, genomic-based studies to predict ecosystem responses to climate change and pollution.