The Role of Microbial Diversity in Health and Ecosystems

Microbial Diversity refers to the variety of microorganisms living in a particular environment. A high level of microbial diversity has many benefits. In nature, diverse groups of microbes help break down organic matter and recycle nutrients. This process keeps ecosystems stable and productive. Soils that have greater microbial diversity can handle changes in the environment better than soils with fewer microbes. This means they can better survive and bounce back from problems like pollution, climate change, and habitat loss. Additionally, a rich mix of soil microbes creates competition for nutrients which can prevent harmful pathogens from taking hold. This not only helps the soil but also benefits human health by reducing the chances of diseases and ensuring we have clean air, water, and food.

#Human Health and Microbial Communities

In terms of human health, a healthy community of microbes in our bodies is often seen to have a wide range of different types of microorganisms. This diversity can improve our immune system, reduce inflammation, and help our bodies extract energy and nutrients better from the foods we eat. A good variety of microbes in our bodies can also lead to fewer allergies and autoimmune diseases.

#Microbial Communities in Indoor Environments

Indoor spaces, such as homes, offices, and public areas, have their own unique microbial communities. These communities are influenced by several factors, including how a building is designed, the way air flows through it, how many people occupy the space, what materials are used to build it, how often it's cleaned, and the surrounding environmental conditions. All these elements work together to shape the types of microbes found indoors, which can influence air quality and human health.

Understanding how these factors affect microbial diversity is vital for designing healthier buildings. Adding plants and landscape features can greatly impact indoor microbial communities. Plants increase the abundance and diversity of microbes in indoor spaces, but more research is needed to fully understand how plants affect different types of microbes and their functions.

#The Visionary Lab Exhibition

From April 2022 to August 2023, the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo, Japan, hosted an exhibition called “Visionary Lab; Microbes Actually Are All Around.” The exhibition featured a model living space with an area for plants that were carefully arranged. The idea was to get visitors thinking about how humans and microbes can coexist in a healthy way. The planting area focused on two key ideas: the interconnectedness of humans, plants, and microbes, and enhancing natural environments to improve their services.

The Visionary Lab's design was perfect for studying how these landscape concepts affect microbes. This research aimed to look closely at microbial samples taken from the exhibition area and compare them to samples from other parts of the museum. The goal was to figure out how the specific design of the Visionary Lab influences the microbial ecosystem. The research team believed that the way plants and landscape features were arranged in the Visionary Lab would support a rich microbial ecosystem that is different from other areas of the museum.

#Sample Collection and DNA Analysis

Samples for this study were collected from different surfaces and locations in the museum. Two types of collection methods were used: vacuum collection and swabbing. In vacuum collection, a special vacuum cleaner was used to gather microbes from surfaces. For swabbing, sterile cotton swabs were used to take samples from different surfaces. Every effort was made to ensure the samples were collected without contamination. Once collected, the samples were stored and prepared for DNA extraction, which was done using a specialized kit.

#Sequencing and Analysis of Microbial Communities

For the analysis, two sequencing methods were used to read the microbial DNA. The first method was called 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. This technique helps to identify different kinds of bacteria present in the samples. The second method was shallow shotgun sequencing, which gives a more detailed view of the species present, including their specific functions.

The results showed distinct differences in microbial communities between the museum and soil environments. In the museum, certain types of bacteria like Acinetobacter, Staphylococcus, and Bacillus were more common. These bacteria are often found in locations where people frequent. In contrast, the soil samples had a different mix of microbes, with organisms like Pseudonocardia and Streptomyces dominating.

#Plants and Microbial Diversity

The inclusion of planting areas significantly increased the diversity of microbes within the Visionary Lab exhibition. The study found that the samples collected from the Visionary Lab had higher diversity measures compared to samples taken from other parts of the museum. For example, the diversity scores were higher in the Visionary Lab, indicating a richer variety of microbial species present there. The results suggested that the planting area had a positive effect on the richness and evenness of microbial communities.

#Differences in Microbial Communities by Location

Analysis of the samples revealed a clear pattern based on their collection locations. Different clusters of microbial communities were identified, showing that specific locations led to similar microbial compositions. For instance, samples taken from exhibits close to each other had similar microbial profiles, indicating that location plays a key role in determining microbial diversity.

#Virulence Factors and Antimicrobial Resistance

The study also looked at virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance genes in the samples. Virulence factors are traits that help microbes to cause disease, while antimicrobial resistance refers to the ability of microbes to survive despite the use of antibiotics. The results showed that there were no consistent patterns across the samples, highlighting the complexity of microbial interactions and their impact on human health.

Some samples showed the presence of virulence factors and resistance genes, especially those taken from surfaces with high human contact. In contrast, samples from the planting area had lower levels of these factors. This suggests that the landscape design, including plants and soil, can influence the types of microbes found in a given area.

#Metabolic Functions of Microbial Communities

The study also compared different metabolic functions of the microbial communities in the samples. Metabolic functions refer to how microbes process nutrients and interact with their environment. Shared metabolic functions were identified across samples, indicating that certain functions are common in various settings. However, some metabolic functions varied significantly among samples, suggesting that the environment influences microbial capabilities. For instance, samples from soil and plants showed a greater capacity for breaking down complex carbon compared to those from human-associated environments.

#Conclusion and Future Directions

This research highlights the importance of green infrastructure in enhancing microbial diversity. The careful landscape design in the Visionary Lab supports a richer mix of microbes, which can lead to healthier ecosystems. The findings reveal that while the Visionary Lab showed higher microbial diversity, there were no clear patterns regarding virulence factors or antimicrobial resistance genes, emphasizing the need for further research.

To improve understanding, future studies should include a larger number of samples from various locations within and outside the Visionary Lab. Additionally, exploring how different environmental factors affect microbial communities and conducting long-term studies to track changes over time could provide valuable insights. Combining these approaches can help create healthier indoor environments that support beneficial microbes, aligning with sustainable urban design goals.