Deep-sea waters are warming due to heat waves and climate change, and it could spell trouble for the oceans’ delicate chemical and biological balance. A new study demonstrates that the microbes may already be adapting well to warmer, nutrient-poor waters. Researchers predict that these surprisingly adaptable archaea will play an important role in reshaping ocean chemistry in a changing climate. 

Climate change is threatening modern life in ways we are still finding, from food security to the economy to everyday living. It has been labeled a “threat multiplier” for its potential to complicate geopolitical relationships. And our efforts to adapt as a global society face obstacles brought on by inequality.

A research paper just published in Science China Life Sciences reveals how microbes and soil properties respond to drought stress and subsequent recovery in the urban green space. Researchers found that while drought significantly altered microbial communities and enhanced multifunctionality, the drivers of the multifunctionality shifted fundamentally during recovery. Regulation transits from biotic factors during drought to soil properties after rehydration. This insight is vital for managing urban ecosystem resilience against climate change.