Rising temperatures could be driving up antibiotic resistance in soil, 11-year study finds

Sanjukta Mondal

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Every year, millions suffer, and thousands lose their lives to infections that were once easily treatable with the right dose of medication. The drugs are the same; human physiology is the same; the only difference is that microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, have now developed resistance to drugs designed to kill them. This phenomenon, known as antimicrobial resistance, is rapidly rising, ringing sirens for emergency action across the globe.

A new 11-year study found that, in addition to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, long-term climate warming can also increase the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in grassland soils by nearly 24%.

Higher temperatures favor the growth of Actinomycetota—a group of mostly Gram-positive bacteria that naturally carry many resistance genes. As these bacteria become more abundant, the overall concentration of ARGs in the soil increases. The findings are published in Nature.

Resistance hidden in soil

It is predicted that by 2050, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could cause up to 10 million deaths each year if it is not addressed seriously. In response, many organizations worldwide are working to better understand and manage the factors that influence AMR.

One widely used framework is the One Health approach, which emphasizes that human health is closely linked to the health of animals and the environment they share.

Our water bodies and soil around us are a major source of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which pathogens can acquire to survive antibiotic treatment. So far, research has not clearly shown how long-term warming influences antibiotic resistance in soils. Understanding this link is important for anticipating potential risks to human health and agriculture as the climate continues to change.

To better understand the association, the researchers combined a long-term outdoor field experiment with high-tech genetic analysis.

Conducted over 11 years (2009–2020), the researchers set up experimental plots on a tall-grass prairie where they could precisely control mimicking future climate conditions. They used infrared heaters to keep the soil 3°C warmer than the natural environment, adjusted water levels to simulate droughts and extreme rainfall, and simulated harvesting and grazing by animals by cutting and removing the grass every year.

They also carried out shotgun metagenomics and GeoChip, which are advanced genetic sequencing methods that read all DNA in a sample, giving a detailed view of which antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) were present.

Their experiments showed that warming makes resistance genes more mobile, allowing them to move more easily between different bacteria. It also increased genes linked to resistance against glycopeptides and rifamycins—antibiotics that target bacteria.

At the same time, resistance genes associated with plant pathogens became more common, suggesting that in a warmer world, controlling crop diseases with traditional methods may become more difficult.

Soil samples were taken to the lab to grow and isolate bacteria, and then antimicrobial resistance tests were performed. The results showed that bacteria from warmed plots were harder to kill, exhibiting greater resistance to 22 different antibiotics than bacteria from cooler plots.

The study indicates that climate warming accelerates antimicrobial resistance in soil microbes at genetic and ecological levels, with significant implications for public health and environmental sustainability. Further research is needed across diverse vegetation types and climates to build a stronger evidence base to guide agricultural and environmental management in a warming world.

Written for you by our author Sanjukta Mondal, edited by Sadie Harley, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Egan—this article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you.

Publication details

Linwei Wu et al, Decade-long warming accelerates antibiotic resistance in grassland soils, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10413-x

Journal information: Nature

Key concepts

effects of climate changezoonotic diseases

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