Microbial Diversity: Its Exploration and Need of Conservation - Applied Environmental Biotechnology: Present Scenario and Future Trends - page 43

4

Microbial Diversity: Its Exploration
and Need of Conservation

Monika Mishra

Abstract
Microbial diversity is fundamental to maintenance and conservation of
global genetic resources. Actions must be taken to estimate, record, and
conserve microbial diversity, not only to sustain human health, but also to
enhance the human condition globally through sensible use and conserva-
tion of genetic resources of the microbial world. The microbial world is
the largest unexplored reservoir of biodiversity on the earth. The explora-
tion of microbial diversity has been prompted by the fact that microbes
are essential for life, since they perform numerous functions essential for
the environment that include nutrient recycling and environmental detoxi-
fication. Priceless contribution of microbial diversity in commercial and
industrial applications promoted the management of the same for sustain-
able use. Natural environment is diverse and the enormous potential of
microorganisms to provide novel pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and
new technologies, is used by the biotechnology industry. Unfortunately,
despite the evident economic value of microbial diversity, microorgan-
isms have been mostly ignored in debates on the conservation and man-
agement of global diversity. There is, therefore, an urgent need to motivate
researchers to be more apprehensive about the conservation, management,
and exploitation of microbial diversity.

Keywords
Genetic ﾷ Resources ﾷ Industry ﾷ Microbial diversity ﾷ Research

4.1 Introduction

The microorganisms play a vital and often dis-
tinctive role in the functioning of the ecosys-
tems in maintaining a sustainable environment
and its productivity. The loss of biodiversity and
their ability to provide ecological services to hu-
mans has now become a central thought to be