Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is considered one of the largest health-related

issues globally, as acknowledged by the General Assembly of the United Nations in

the A/RES/71/3/2016 resolution. Reducing antibiotic consumption and other actions
are important measures to lower antimicrobial resistance in global health context,
but AMR evolution and spread of resistant strains and resistance genes into the
environment cannot be reversed (Collignon et al., 2018). Dissemination of AMR
through the environment leads to many health issues and confirms present-day
agreement, that tackling AMR requires a holistic approach in which human,
veterinary and environmental settings are interconnected. This approach – called
“One Health” (CDC, 2020) – is related strongly to the topics of biodiversity and
environmental health.
Currently, understanding of the fate of ARB and ARGs released into the environment
is limited. Both the transfer of ARGs and balance between retention and
outcompetition of ARB in natural biological communities are largely unknown. This
is due to the extent of environmental and ecological factors influencing the spread
of ARB and ARGs. In that regard, it is proposed that biodiversity of a given
ecosystem (e.g. soil) is pivotal.