What's in a niche? Time to rethink microbial ecology, say researchers

Scientists in Canada, the United States and Europe are looking to rewrite the textbook on microbial ecology. When it comes to microbe species, they argue, niche is much more important than names

Date:

April 16, 2018

Source:

University of British Columbia

Summary:

Scientists are looking to rewrite the textbook on microbial ecology. When it comes to microbe species, they argue, niche is much more important than names. In microbial systems, hundreds of species can co-exist and perform the same biochemical functions in one setting, and switch functions in a different setting, explain scientists.

Scientists in Canada, the United States and Europe are looking to rewrite the textbook on microbial ecology, advocating a new approach to studying the most abundant form of life on Earth.

Credit: Stilianos Louca, University of British Columbia

Scientists in Canada, the United States and Europe are looking to rewrite the textbook on microbial ecology, advocating a new approach to studying the most abundant form of life on Earth.