microecology

Microecology is the study of microorganisms and their ecological interactions at small spatial scales. It investigates how microbial communities assemble, interact, and function within microhabitats such as soil pores, biofilms, plant and animal surfaces, and aquatic microenvironments. The field encompasses bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists, and viruses, and considers how biotic and abiotic influences shape communities.

Key processes include competition, cooperation, predation by protists, cross-feeding, and niche partitioning, as well as succession. Microscale heterogeneity in resources and conditions creates diverse niches and spatially structured communities, linking microscale dynamics to broader ecosystem function through nutrient cycling and host interactions.

Environments studied range from soils and sediments to freshwater and marine systems, biofilms on surfaces, and host-associated microbiomes in plants and animals. Microecology often focuses on how microorganisms respond to local conditions, how they interact with each other, and how these interactions scale up to influence ecosystem processes.

Methods combine high-throughput sequencing (such as 16S rRNA gene surveys, ITS sequencing, metagenomics, and metatranscriptomics), culturing, and imaging techniques like fluorescence in situ hybridization and advanced microscopy. Microfluidic approaches and stable isotope probing are used to analyze behavior and nutrient flows at near-cellular resolution.

Applications include improving soil fertility and plant health, enabling bioremediation, advancing understanding of the human microbiome, and informing strategies to manage pathogens and pollutant degradation. Microecology integrates ecology, microbiology, and systems biology to reveal how microscopic life shapes larger-scale environments.