"Theory is used to classify, interpret, and predict the world around us.
Without it, microbial ecology is merely the accumulation of situation-bound statements
that are of limited predictive ability..." -
Prosser et al 2007.
Without it, microbial ecology is merely the accumulation of situation-bound statements
that are of limited predictive ability..." -
Prosser et al 2007.
Four key concepts of community ecology
DispersalActive/passive movement of individuals across space.
SpeciationCreating of a new species due to mutations.
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SelectionFitness difference between individuals of different species.
DriftRandom changes in the abundance of organisms.
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Questions to build on these concepts
Does ingress due to leaks and transient pressure situations significantly alter community composition?
Can long-term adaptation to spatially discrete niches in premise plumbing support speciation?
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Does selective growth due to nutrients, or selective inhibition from residual disinfectants change community composition?
Are differences in bacterial community composition random or is this just sampling/analytical noise?
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