26. How microbes interact

  • Communication between microbial cells: signal molecules and signaling.
  • Interactions in biofilms, biofilm structures and conditions in biofilms.
  • Interactions in gradients and transients: motility, chemotaxis, phototaxis.
  • Bacterioplankton diversity on a microscale.
  • Environmental influences on structures of microbial assemblages.
  • Types of symbiotic interactions; intimacy (ecto-, endo); dependence (obligate, facultative); function (protection, syntrophism, gene exchange); evolution (optimization: rumen, luminescent fish, Rhizobia in leguminous plant roots, Rubbachia spp. in insects; algae, cyanobacteria, fungi and bacteria in lichens)
  • Trophic interactions in synergistic symbioses.
  • Trophic interactions in predation and parasitism.
  • Population control by bacteriophages and viruses.
  • Phototrophic consortia.
 
 
microeco