Understanding the implications of global warming on the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes (VFGs) within soil ecosystems is crucial for safeguarding human well-being and sustaining ecosystem health. However, there is currently a lack of large-scale, systematic underpinning data needed to examine this issue. Here, using an integrative approach that combines field experiments, extensive global metagenomic data and microbial culturing, we show that warming enriches bacteria with ARGs and VFGs, increases metabolic complexity and adaptability in bacteria, and accelerates genetic alterations related to ARG and VFGs development. Our validation experiments confirm that the warming effect is more pronounced in colder regions. Machine learning predictions further suggest that warming will increase the soil ARG abundance, especially in some areas that rely heavily on fossil fuels. These results suggest another major negative consequence of global warming, highlighting the importance of developing and implementing sustainability policies that simultaneously combat climate change and antibiotic resistance.

了解全球变暖对抗生素抗性基因 （ARG） 和毒力因子基因 （VFG） 在土壤生态系统中传播的影响，对于保护人类福祉和维持生态系统健康至关重要。然而，目前缺乏研究这个问题所需的大规模、系统的基础数据。在这里，使用结合现场实验、广泛的全球宏基因组数据和微生物培养的综合方法，我们表明变暖会用 ARGs 和 VFGs 富集细菌，增加细菌的代谢复杂性和适应性，并加速与 ARG 和 VFGs 发育相关的遗传改变。我们的验证实验证实，变暖效应在较冷的地区更为明显。机器学习预测进一步表明，变暖将增加土壤 ARG 的丰度，尤其是在一些严重依赖化石燃料的地区。这些结果表明了全球变暖的另一个主要负面后果，凸显了制定和实施同时应对气候变化和抗生素耐药性的可持续性政策的重要性。