Wildfires profoundly influence the unseen microbial world within our waters, directly impacting water quality and ecosystem health, according to a new study presented at ASM Microbe 2025, the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.
“Understanding these critical, subtle changes is key to developing effective strategies for protecting our water resources in an era of increasing wildfire activity,” says presenting study author Courtney Gardner, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin.
The researchers conducted the new study because the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires pose a growing
