The number of species on Earth is one of the most fundamental numbers in science, but one
that remains highly uncertain. Clearly, more species exist than the present number of …

Recently, microbiologists have established the existence of biogeographic patterns among a
wide range of microorganisms. The focus of the field is now shifting to identifying the …

Salinity is a major factor controlling the distribution of biota in aquatic systems, and most
aquatic multicellular organisms are either adapted to life in saltwater or freshwater …

Members of the diverse bacterial phylum Bacteroidetes have colonized virtually all types of
habitats on Earth. They are among the major members of the microbiota of animals …

Bacteroidetes are commonly assumed to be specialized in degrading high molecular weight
(HMW) compounds and to have a preference for growth attached to particles, surfaces or …

Humans have effectively transported thousands of species around the globe and, with
accelerated trade; the rate of introductions has increased over time. Aquatic ecosystems …

The paradigm that only 1% of microbes are culturable has had a profound impact on our
understanding of microbial ecology and is still a major motivation for mostly using molecular …

Viruses are by far the most abundant'lifeforms' in the oceans and are the reservoir of most of
the genetic diversity in the sea. The estimated 1030 viruses in the ocean, if stretched end to …

Marine microbial communities are engines of globally important processes, such as the
marine carbon, nitrogen and sulphur cycles. Recent data on the structures of these …

All communities are dominated by a few species that account for most of the biomass and
carbon cycling. On the other hand, a large number of species are represented by only a few …