Microbial consortia, as a biological process, refers to the dynamic, functionally integrated interactions among multiple co-occurring microbial species that collectively perform metabolic activities not achievable by individual taxa alone. These processes include syntrophy, cross-feeding, metabolic division of labor, and coordinated responses to environmental cues, often regulated through cell–cell signaling and resource partitioning. Within consortia, emergent properties such as enhanced stability, resilience to perturbation, and optimized biogeochemical cycling arise from coupled metabolic networks and spatial organization. Microbial consortia underlie key processes in natural and engineered systems, including nutrient turnover, waste degradation, bioremediation, and host-associated microbiome functions.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have discovered that tiny photosynthetic bacteria band together into protective "herds" when attacked by predators—a survival strategy that could also influence how carbon is ...
Cell & Microbiology
4 hours ago
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Far beneath the surface of the ocean lies the largest and least explored habitat on Earth. The deep sea is cold, dark, highly pressurized—and home to a huge amount of undiscovered life.
Evolution
Jul 12, 2026
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A new study reveals that exposing dwarf spiders to a brief period of warm temperatures can disrupt a phenomenon in which internal bacteria normally force genetic males to develop as females. Surprisingly, this reproductive ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 8, 2026
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The distribution of income and growing inequality are central themes in public debate. Far less attention has been paid to how resources are distributed in ecological communities, in the so-called state of nature, without ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 8, 2026
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Scientists at Leiden University have discovered that plants are strongly influenced by their neighbors, not just above ground but also through hidden networks in the soil. Their findings challenge long-held ideas about how ...
Ecology
Jul 6, 2026
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As one of the world's most revered gourmet foods, some truffles can sell for more than €1,000 per kilogram, making cultivation a lucrative business. However, the industry remains unpredictable, with some trees capable of ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 30, 2026
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Scientists have discovered that two common human pathogens can work together by managing copper in their shared environment—a finding that could open new ways to break down stubborn mixed biofilms.
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 26, 2026
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204
Oysters filter seawater for food. In the process, they concentrate a wide variety of microorganisms from their environment—including bacteria and viruses—into a tiny space.
Ecology
Jun 24, 2026
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Genes are not passed on exclusively from parents to their offspring. Some are mobile and can also jump to other species, as researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen have now shown. The direct ...
Evolution
Jun 20, 2026
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321
An interdisciplinary team of Rice University researchers has uncovered previously unknown relationships between bacteriophages—viruses that infect bacteria—and their bacterial hosts, offering a powerful new tool for next-generation ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 16, 2026
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