Agricultural soil microbiota and climate change: Challenges for productive resilience and emerging technologies. A review

Abstract

Climate change is altering farmland, affecting soil microbes, which are critical for healthy, productive soil. This article comprehensively reviews how climate change affects agricultural soil microbiota, considering its response to extreme events, management strategies to mitigate adverse effects, and recent advances in metagenomic technologies and predictive modeling in this field. The research corresponds to a theoretical review based on information from academic databases, applying rigorous criteria for source selection. The findings show that climate change alters both the diversity and the structure and connectivity of microbial networks that are essential for processes of nutrient mineralization, carbon cycling, and water regulation. Agricultural intensification and loss of microbiota diversity reduce the soil's ability to sustain productivity under adverse conditions. Strategies include the use of biofertilizers, compost, biochar, and crop rotation. Furthermore, emerging technologies such as metagenomics, metagenome-assembled genomes, multi-omics analysis, and artificial intelligence strengthen soil resilience, although their success depends on the soil and climate context. In conclusion, sustainable agriculture requires integrating agroecological practices and using modern technologies that value the microbiota as a strategic resource in the face of climate change. It is suggested to combine knowledge from different areas to adapt strategies to each type of soil and climate and to create laws that recognize the importance of soil microbes.