The invisible foundation of life: Why microbes must be included in biodiversity conservation

The invisible foundation of life: Why microbes must be included in biodiversity conservation Yuchen Geng and Arpita Bose, PhD, consider the invisible foundation of life, explaining why microbes must be included in biodiversity conservation. When people talk about biodiversity, most imagine towering rainforests, endangered animals, or colorful coral reefs. These images dominate textbooks, documentaries, and conservation campaigns. However, there’s something people tend to avoid – microbes, organisms so small that it is impossible to see them through the naked eye. Yet microbes make up the majority of life on Earth, as well as the foundation on which all visible ecosystems depend and thrive.