From Soil to Surface: Green Infrastructure Enhances Microbial Communities in the Built Environment

Abstract Background High microbial diversity offers extensive benefits to both the environment and human health, contributing to ecosystem stability, nutrient cycling, and pathogen suppression. In built environments, factors such as building design, human activity, and cleaning protocols influence microbial communities. This study investigates the impact of landscape design on microbial diversity and function within the “Visionary Lab” exhibition at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) in Tokyo, Japan, using 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing and shallow shotgun sequencing. Results The study found that the Visionary Lab samples exhibited higher microbial diversity compared to other museum areas, as indicated by alpha diversity metrics. Beta diversity analysis revealed distinct microbial community structures correlated with sampling locations. Despite this, no consistent patterns were observed in virulence factors or antimicrobial resistance genes across the samples. Metabolic function analysis showed varied profiles, suggesting diverse ecological interactions influenced by the curated landscape. Conclusions The curated landscape design enhanced microbial diversity, highlighting its potential to create healthier and more sustainable built environments. However, the lack of consistent patterns in virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance genes underscores the complexity of microbial community dynamics. Future research should increase sample size, employ advanced sequencing techniques, and explore various built environments to develop evidence-based guidelines for microbial-friendly and health-promoting indoor spaces.