Addressing these challenges, whilst maintaining environmentally sustainable agricultural practices, requires an understanding of microbial diversity.

The researchers also analyzed data from polluted soil, showing that heavy metal contamination sharply reduces microbial diversity.

"This type of study points to how little we know about microbial diversity," Ms. Angert said.

Microbiomes were discovered largely through advances in molecular genetics, which have revealed a hidden richness of microbial diversity on the planet.

However, it has been well documented that plate counting methods usually miss approximately 99% of the total microbial diversity found in a given environment.

This change in sequencing power necessitates a reassessment of how microbial diversity and biogeography is studied.

Indeed, it would be fascinating to know what has happened to microbial diversity in .

There, he studied microbial diversity using culture-independent methods.

They obtained an initial assessment of microbial diversity in their environmental samples from soil maintained for 36 years at the various pH values.

This fingerprinting method is a quick and sensitive method to estimate microbial diversity.