Rewilding urban home yards may benefit human microbiome and inflammatory response in just three months
Urbanization and biodiversity loss have reduced human contact with the diverse microbiomes found in natural environments. Exposure to environmental microbes supports the normal development and regulation of the immune system. This reduction in exposure is considered a contributing factor to the rising prevalence of allergies, asthma, type 1 diabetes and other immune-mediated diseases.
A joint study by Tampere University, Benefa Oy, and the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) has found that rewilding urban home yards can positively impact the human microbiome and inflammatory response within just three months. Urbanization and biodiversity loss have led to reduced human contact with diverse microbiomes found in natural environments, which is linked to the rising prevalence of allergies, asthma, type 1 diabetes, and other immune-mediated diseases.
The study, published in the journal Microbiome, involved 36 detached houses, with 21 yards modified to be more natural by introducing diverse vegetation, deadwood, wood chips, microbially rich growing media, and leaf composters. The participants with rewilded yards were instructed to practice benign neglect, such as leaving fall leaves to decompose instead of raking them and converting lawn areas into meadows.
The research found that the diversity of the skin microbiome was preserved further into fall among residents of the rewilded yards compared with those with control yards, even though time spent outdoors decreased in both groups. Bacteria typically associated with natural environments increased particularly on the skin of residents with rewilded yards, while the relative abundance of bacteria linked to infections decreased.
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