Iucn creates first-ever conservation group for earth’s most overlooked life forms: microbes

They’re invisible to the naked eye but exist in the trillions—microbes living in our bodies, soil, and on trees form the hidden foundation of life on Earth. Despite their critical importance to planetary health, these microscopic organisms have been largely ignored in conservation efforts. That’s about to change with the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) groundbreaking launch of a specialist group dedicated to protecting threatened microbial species.

“This is a huge milestone for microbiologists, but also for conservation overall, because for the first time, we have an official recognition that microbes need to be included in the conservation agenda,” explains Raquel Peixoto, co-chair of the new IUCN specialist group and Marine Science Program chair at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. The timing couldn’t be more urgent—microbial communities face mounting pressures from pollution, climate change, and habitat destruction.

These invisible ecosystems perform irreplaceable functions that keep our planet habitable. Marine microorganisms like Prochlorococcus produce vast quantities of oxygen through photosynthesis, while soil microbes support plant growth and carbon cycling. Every plant and animal depends on complex microbial partnerships to survive. As Peixoto notes, “We cannot talk about either climate change or biodiversity loss without talking about microbes, because we need them to keep the ecosystems healthy and working.” Rising ocean temperatures already threaten oxygen-producing marine microbes, highlighting how human activities are disrupting these crucial microscopic communities that have sustained life on Earth for billions of years.