Summary
This pot experiment demonstrates that increased plant diversity reduces the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements in agricultural soils by 19.2%–51.2%, with effects mediated partly through compositional changes in root exudates. The study identifies bacterial host communities as key reservoirs of ARGs and shows that plant diversity shifts the balance between ARG-harbouring and non-harbouring bacteria. The findings suggest that maintaining plant and resource diversity in agroecosystems represents a feasible agronomic strategy to mitigate ARG contamination risks.
UK applicability
The pot-based experimental design may not fully reflect field conditions, microbial dynamics, or soil types prevalent across UK arable and mixed farming systems; however, the principle that plant diversity can suppress ARG prevalence aligns with broader regenerative and agroecological practices increasingly relevant to UK farming policy and sustainable intensification goals.
Key measures
Abundance of ARGs and MGEs (measured as proportional reduction); richness and relative abundance of bacterial hosts harbouring ARGs; composition of root exudates; relative abundance and mobility of high-risk ARGs under resource diversity treatments
Outcomes reported
The study measured the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in soils under different plant diversity treatments, and characterised bacterial host communities harbouring ARGs. It assessed how root exudate composition varies with plant diversity and influences ARG prevalence.
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