From natural to human-impacted ecosystems: rationale to investigate the impact of urbanization on cyanobacterial diversity in soils

摘要

Human activities have long been recognized as a major force shaping the biosphere. Advancing urbanization is one such transformation with unforeseen effect on the soil microbiota, including the cyanobacteria. This includes the loss of agronomically important nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria, which may negatively affect the agricultural productivity of peri-urban soils. However, empirical studies are lacking to validate the statement. Even, in journals specifically dealing with diversity and distribution of organisms, urban ecology and ecosystems. Here, I describe a critical area beset with challenges that needs to be investigated.