therapeutic action: nutrient cycling

Bioremediation Potential of a Non-Axenic Cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. for Municipal Wastewater Treatment in the Peruvian Amazon: Growth Kinetics, Ammonium Removal, and Biochemical Characterization Within a Circular Bioeconomy Framework

Researchers discovered that a cyanobacterium called Synechococcus sp., when grown in diluted municipal wastewater, can effectively clean polluted water by removing 95% of ammonia while simultaneously producing valuable biomass. This dual-purpose approach offers a sustainable solution for wastewater treatment in the Peruvian Amazon, where conventional treatment infrastructure is limited but sunlight and warm temperatures are abundant. The organism produces useful compounds like phycocyanin, which has applications in food coloring, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, turning a pollution problem into a resource opportunity.

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Use of Anaerobic Digestate Inoculated with Fungi as a Soil Amendment for Soil Remediation: A Systematic Review

This research examines how using fungi-treated digestate (a byproduct from biogas production) can clean polluted soil more effectively than using either alone. The study shows that combining digestate with fungi successfully removes heavy metals like lead and cadmium from soil while promoting plant growth. The best results came from using digestate made from cattle manure. This approach offers an affordable and sustainable way to restore contaminated soils.

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Identification of bacterial communities associated with needle mushroom (Flammulina filiformis) and its production environment

Researchers studied the bacteria living in needle mushroom farms in China to understand which microbes help mushrooms grow well and which ones cause diseases. They found that farms in different regions have different bacterial communities, with some bacteria being beneficial while others cause rot and disease. By identifying these bacteria, the study provides information to help farmers grow healthier, safer mushrooms through better farming practices.

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Temporal changes in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi communities and their driving factors in Xanthoceras sorbifolium plantations

This study examined how fungal communities associated with plant roots change as Xanthoceras sorbifolium tree plantations age from 5 to 56 years old. Researchers found that these beneficial fungi form strong partnerships with the trees at all ages, with the dominant fungus Glomus gradually becoming more abundant over time. The composition and diversity of these fungal communities are primarily influenced by soil properties like pH and carbon content, as well as by characteristics of plant roots and decomposing leaf litter.

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Airborne Fungal Spore Diversity Assessment Using Culture-Dependent and Metabarcoding Approaches in Bat-Inhabited Natural and Anthropogenic Roosts in Portugal

Researchers studied fungal diversity in bat caves across Portugal using two methods: growing fungi in labs and analyzing DNA from air samples. They found over 280 different types of fungi, with some being common decomposers and others potentially harmful to human health. The study revealed that bat activity and human visits significantly influence which fungi live in caves, highlighting the importance of protecting these unique underground ecosystems.

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Microbes as Teachers: Rethinking Knowledge in the Anthropocene

Microbes have been the architects of life on Earth for nearly 4 billion years, managing oxygen production, nutrient cycles, and climate stability—yet we rarely recognize their wisdom. This paper argues we should treat microbes as teachers rather than mere subjects of study or exploitation. By reforming education, policy, and how we think about our relationship with microbial life, we can solve modern challenges like climate change and disease while learning to coexist with the microscopic majority that sustains all life.

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Microbes as Teachers: Rethinking Knowledge in the Anthropocene

This paper argues that microbes should be viewed as teachers offering crucial wisdom about how to solve today’s environmental crises. Rather than seeing microbes as passive subjects to be studied, the author proposes recognizing them as intelligent, collaborative partners that have successfully managed Earth’s systems for billions of years. The paper provides practical suggestions for changing education, policy, and how we design cities and agriculture to work with microbial processes rather than against them.

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