Antimicrobial resistance varies with warming in active layer soil and permafrost

This study shows that antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) are naturally present in permafrost microbiomes, long predating human antibiotic use, and are widely distributed across diverse bacterial taxa. While ARG abundance varies by depth and environmental factors such as soil carbon and pH, laboratory thaw experiments indicate that permafrost thaw does not generally increase ARG levels—remaining stable in some sites and even declining in others. Although persistent ARGs may still pose potential risks, the findings suggest that permafrost thaw is unlikely to significantly elevate environmental or public health risks related to antimicrobial resistance.