Microbial Interactions & Microbial Ecology

Microbial Ecology and Evolution

Microbial ecology is the study of relationship between microbes and their surrounds, biased image of the role of microbes in nature obtained from laboratory studies of pure culture cultures  data leads to inappropriate conclusions about their relevance. Eg. E. coli grows in animals intestinal tracts but merely survive in aquatic environments , E. coli are transients and not residents of aquifers from which they can be isolated.Microbial ecology studies entail the use of conventional microbiological techniques (cultural / enumeration procedures, EM, radioactive tracer methods) and modern molecular techniques (gene analysis, nuclei acid probes, sequencing) Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, formerly the Microbial Ecology and Evolution track encompasses many aspects of microbial and phage ecology and the roles of microbes in their natural environments. Our rapidly advancing knowledge of the complexity, immense diversity, and important roles of natural microbial communities will be highlighted in many of the exciting EEB sessions.