Marine ecosystem models (MEMs) are valuable for assessing the threats of global warming to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but their predictions vary widely. We argue that MEMs should consider evolutionary processes and undergo independent validation. Here, we present a novel framework for MEM development using validation data from sediment archives, which map long-term environmental and evolutionary change. Our approach is a crucial step towards improving the predictive power of MEMs.

Atmospheric microorganisms are a small fraction of Earth's microbiome, with bacteria being a significant part. Aerosolized bacteria are airborne for a few days, encountering unique chemical and physical conditions affecting stress levels and survival. We explore chemical and microphysical conditions bacteria encounter, highlighting potential nutrient and oxidant limitations and diverse effects by pollutants, which may ultimately impact the microbiome's role in global ecosystems and biodiversity.