Revealing specialisation events induced by pollutants in belowground fungal communities

Abstract

"Chemical pollution has been in the centre of scientific discussion for decades, mainly due to toxicological motives. Pollution and climate change is leading to associated geological/geochemical and atmospheric alterations that negatively impact all ecosystems, including humans. To date our understanding of the environmental impact of pollution and climate change is still very limited. Among the ecological groups that are affected by pollution the “unseen “majority” are the microbial communities especially fungi, that dominate most habitats on Earth. Several studies exist focusing on the effects of organic pollutants towards microbes, especially considering their overall toxicity and degradation with emphasis on fungi due to their impressive catabolic capacities. However, how exposure to toxicants impacts the dynamics of microbial communities remains poorly understood.(...)"