Microorganisms in atmospheric aerosols collected by bulk deposition at elevated rural West Mediterranean site over 28-y
In this project, we present a comprehensive 28-y dataset of atmospheric aerosols associated with air masses from different origins, which reveals for the first time a profound and long-lasting impact of North African desert microorganisms on high-altitude communities. The project include also samples collected in North African desert areas.The frequency of desert dust outbreaks, the altitude reached by the aerosols and their residence time in the atmosphere are identified as critical factors that significantly shape the long-range microbial communities, surpassing the influence of aerosol from other sources and adjacent origin of the air masses.