Microbiome

The more diverse, the better for us and nature

Over 30 trillion microorganisms, about as many as our body has cells of its own, colonise each and every one of us. Without them, we (including all animals and plants) would not be able to survive. The term ‘microbiome’ refers to the entire, highly active and interactive community of bacteria, fungi, algae and other microorganisms and viruses found in animals, plants, soil and in many other places.

These primordial, exceptionally diverse communities, organise the exchange of nutrients and biological information both within an individual organism and between organisms. Microbiomes build and break down, digest and process and have thus formed the basis of all life for billions of years. Their ‘home’ is the soil, in which everything that lives and dies on land ends up together.

Humans have been making intentional use of these organisms since the beginning, for example in medicine, food production or to promote soil fertility. However, research into them is still in its infancy. So far, one thing seems certain: the diversity of the microbiome is key to its healthy balance and function.