Conservation of microbes – why, what and how?

Microbial diversity underpins the health and function of all ecosystems on our planet, yet considerations of microbes in ecosystem conservation efforts do not generally exist. International efforts are now underway to incorporate microbial diversity into more general frameworks and platforms for biodiversity and species conservation (i.e. the International Union for Conservation of Nature). Here, we discuss three broad areas (host-associated microbial communities, soil microbiomes, and Antarctic ecosystems) where microbial diversity is critical for function and which warrant attempts for conservation. We highlight how environmental change causes vulnerability for microbial function and propose ways how conservation of microbial diversity can be achieved. Future efforts will need national and international commitments and collaborations to financially resource conservation projects, develop best-practice protocols and support shared data and sample access.