Microbiocenoses

Microbiocenosis, plural microbiocenoses, refers to the community of microorganisms that inhabit a defined environment. It includes bacteria, archaea, fungi, viruses, and microeukaryotes, encompassing both resident members and transient organisms. The concept is used across disciplines to describe the taxonomic composition, functional capabilities, and ecological interactions of microbial communities in places such as the human gut, soil, water, plant surfaces, and built environments.

In a microbiocenosis, organisms interact through competition, cooperation, predation, and signaling. The community performs essential functions including digestion and fermentation of substrates, synthesis of vitamins, nutrient cycling, and modulation of the immune system in hosts. The stability, diversity, and resilience of a microbiocenosis influence health, disease susceptibility, and ecosystem processes.

Factors shaping a microbiocenosis include diet, antibiotics, age, and genetics in humans; and pH, nutrients, moisture, temperature, geography, and pollution in environmental contexts. Dysbiosis describes disturbances to a microbiocenosis that disrupt normal function and may contribute to disease or impaired ecosystem performance.

Research on microbiocenoses often relies on culture-independent methods such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and targeted sequencing (e.g., 16S rRNA or ITS), complemented by culture-based approaches. The term emphasizes viewing microbial communities as dynamic, functional systems rather than just lists of species, with relevance to health, agriculture, and environmental management.