Food Webs and Feedbacks: The Untold Ecological Relevance of Antimicrobial Resistance as Seen in Harmful Algal Blooms
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has long been framed as an epidemiological and public health concern. Its impacts on the environment are unclear. Yet, the basis for AMR is altered cell physiology. Just as this affects how microbes interact with antimicrobials, it can also affect how they interact wit...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-10-01
|
| Series: | Microorganisms |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/11/2121 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850227105378336768 |
|---|---|
| author | Aabir Banerji Nichole E. Brinkman Benjamin Davis Alison Franklin Michael Jahne Scott P. Keely |
| author_facet | Aabir Banerji Nichole E. Brinkman Benjamin Davis Alison Franklin Michael Jahne Scott P. Keely |
| author_sort | Aabir Banerji |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has long been framed as an epidemiological and public health concern. Its impacts on the environment are unclear. Yet, the basis for AMR is altered cell physiology. Just as this affects how microbes interact with antimicrobials, it can also affect how they interact with their own species, other species, and their non-living environment. Moreover, if the microbes are globally notorious for causing landscape-level environmental issues, then these effects could alter biodiversity and ecosystem function on a grand scale. To investigate these possibilities, we compiled peer-reviewed literature from the past 20 years regarding AMR in toxic freshwater cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (HABs). We examined it for evidence of AMR affecting HAB frequency, severity, or persistence. Although no study within our scope was explicitly designed to address the question, multiple studies reported AMR-associated changes in HAB-forming cyanobacteria (and co-occurring microbes) that pertained directly to HAB timing, toxicity, and phase, as well as to the dynamics of HAB-afflicted aquatic food webs. These findings highlight the potential for AMR to have far-reaching environmental impacts (including the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem function) and bring into focus the importance of confronting complex interrelated issues such as AMR and HABs in concert, with interdisciplinary tools and perspectives. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2c191daf99ac43e082cfd1077cc01154 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj-art-2c191daf99ac43e082cfd1077cc011542025-08-20T02:04:55ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072024-10-011211212110.3390/microorganisms12112121Food Webs and Feedbacks: The Untold Ecological Relevance of Antimicrobial Resistance as Seen in Harmful Algal BloomsAabir Banerji0Nichole E. Brinkman1Benjamin Davis2Alison Franklin3Michael Jahne4Scott P. Keely5US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Duluth, MN 55804, USAUS Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USAUS Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USAUS Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USAUS Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USAUS Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USAAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) has long been framed as an epidemiological and public health concern. Its impacts on the environment are unclear. Yet, the basis for AMR is altered cell physiology. Just as this affects how microbes interact with antimicrobials, it can also affect how they interact with their own species, other species, and their non-living environment. Moreover, if the microbes are globally notorious for causing landscape-level environmental issues, then these effects could alter biodiversity and ecosystem function on a grand scale. To investigate these possibilities, we compiled peer-reviewed literature from the past 20 years regarding AMR in toxic freshwater cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (HABs). We examined it for evidence of AMR affecting HAB frequency, severity, or persistence. Although no study within our scope was explicitly designed to address the question, multiple studies reported AMR-associated changes in HAB-forming cyanobacteria (and co-occurring microbes) that pertained directly to HAB timing, toxicity, and phase, as well as to the dynamics of HAB-afflicted aquatic food webs. These findings highlight the potential for AMR to have far-reaching environmental impacts (including the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem function) and bring into focus the importance of confronting complex interrelated issues such as AMR and HABs in concert, with interdisciplinary tools and perspectives.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/11/2121antibioticde novo resistancehorizontal gene transfer (HGT)microbial ecologytrait-mediated indirect interaction (TMII) |
| spellingShingle | Aabir Banerji Nichole E. Brinkman Benjamin Davis Alison Franklin Michael Jahne Scott P. Keely Food Webs and Feedbacks: The Untold Ecological Relevance of Antimicrobial Resistance as Seen in Harmful Algal Blooms Microorganisms antibiotic de novo resistance horizontal gene transfer (HGT) microbial ecology trait-mediated indirect interaction (TMII) |
| title | Food Webs and Feedbacks: The Untold Ecological Relevance of Antimicrobial Resistance as Seen in Harmful Algal Blooms |
| title_full | Food Webs and Feedbacks: The Untold Ecological Relevance of Antimicrobial Resistance as Seen in Harmful Algal Blooms |
| title_fullStr | Food Webs and Feedbacks: The Untold Ecological Relevance of Antimicrobial Resistance as Seen in Harmful Algal Blooms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Food Webs and Feedbacks: The Untold Ecological Relevance of Antimicrobial Resistance as Seen in Harmful Algal Blooms |
| title_short | Food Webs and Feedbacks: The Untold Ecological Relevance of Antimicrobial Resistance as Seen in Harmful Algal Blooms |
| title_sort | food webs and feedbacks the untold ecological relevance of antimicrobial resistance as seen in harmful algal blooms |
| topic | antibiotic de novo resistance horizontal gene transfer (HGT) microbial ecology trait-mediated indirect interaction (TMII) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/11/2121 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aabirbanerji foodwebsandfeedbackstheuntoldecologicalrelevanceofantimicrobialresistanceasseeninharmfulalgalblooms AT nicholeebrinkman foodwebsandfeedbackstheuntoldecologicalrelevanceofantimicrobialresistanceasseeninharmfulalgalblooms AT benjamindavis foodwebsandfeedbackstheuntoldecologicalrelevanceofantimicrobialresistanceasseeninharmfulalgalblooms AT alisonfranklin foodwebsandfeedbackstheuntoldecologicalrelevanceofantimicrobialresistanceasseeninharmfulalgalblooms AT michaeljahne foodwebsandfeedbackstheuntoldecologicalrelevanceofantimicrobialresistanceasseeninharmfulalgalblooms AT scottpkeely foodwebsandfeedbackstheuntoldecologicalrelevanceofantimicrobialresistanceasseeninharmfulalgalblooms |