TACKLING THE SOIL MICROBIOME – CHALLENGES AND OPORTUNITIES

The health of the terrestrial ecosystems is directly dependent on the microbial composition that fulfills essential functions, such as sustaining plant growth, nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. The study of the soil microbiome has gained popularity in the last decades due to its significant impact on the health of the environment and its inhabitants. This review explores the diversity and functions of soil microbial communities, with a particular focus on microbial dark matter, a subset of organisms that cannot be cultured through classical microbiological techniques. The evolution of DNA extraction methods and sequencing technologies coupled with the transition from amplicon sequencing to metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) and continuously developing bioinformatic pipelines has led to the discovery of novel microbial taxa, community networks, metabolic pathways and potentially useful molecules. Soil microbiome research is gaining momentum in Romania, as a big part of studies try to assess the impact of agricultural practices on the environment. Designing sustainable agricultural practices and implementing them with the goal of preserving the heterogeneity of the microbiome contributes significantly to the resilience of ecosystems, preserving the health of the environment, as well as the well-being of its residents.