Microbiota, in the context of biological processes, refers to the dynamic, collectively functioning community of microorganisms that engage in continuous interactions with each other and with their host or environment. These processes include colonization, succession, metabolic activity (such as fermentation, vitamin synthesis, and xenobiotic transformation), signaling, competition, and cooperative interactions that shape local ecological niches. Through these activities, microbiota modulate host physiological processes including barrier function, immune maturation, and energy harvest, and participate in biogeochemical cycles. The term emphasizes the ongoing, emergent biological processes arising from microbial community composition, gene expression, and environmental feedbacks.
A colony of macaques that gorge on snacks offered by tourists in the British territory of Gibraltar swallow soil to recover from their junk food binges, a study has found.
Plants & Animals
May 22, 2026
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20
Blessed are the tiny cheesemakers: scientists have mapped out the bacteria responsible for giving three British cheeses their distinct flavor, which may also be beneficial to human health. Scientists in the Food Microbial ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 21, 2026
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53
A study led by researchers from the Department of Microbiology at the University of Malaga has revealed how organic farming—using natural substances and processes and avoiding the use of synthetic chemicals—can, in the long ...
Ecology
May 21, 2026
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12
Cows eat grass...everyone knows that. But climate change is forcing producers and scientists to rethink some of our long-held assumptions about livestock nutrition. Crop costs are climbing. Traditional pastures are under ...
Veterinary medicine
May 19, 2026
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27
Intensive agriculture poses a significant threat to global biodiversity. However, one aspect of biodiversity in farmland is little studied: algae. Most people have seen algae growing in streams, lakes or the sea. However, ...
Ecology
May 18, 2026
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19
Can you imagine feeling good about your body being home to trillions of bacteria and viruses—as well as life-giving "invisible friend" microbes in the air, soil and water? Before you say yuck, this concept is a new way microbiologists ...
Ecology
May 18, 2026
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135
As ocean temperatures rise and marine ecosystems change, scientists are working to understand how valuable species like the American lobster will respond. New research from William & Mary's Batten School of Coastal & Marine ...
Ecology
May 16, 2026
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23
Throughout history, most of the world's genomic research has relied on DNA data from people of European ancestry.
Molecular & Computational biology
May 12, 2026
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12
Ever felt like mosquitoes bite you while ignoring everyone else? Scientists are now making progress in deciphering the complex chemical cocktail that makes particular people more enticing to these disease-spreading bloodsuckers.
Plants & Animals
May 12, 2026
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A study led by researchers at the University of Liège reveals the mechanism by which surfactin, a molecule produced by beneficial soil bacteria, activates plants' immune defenses. This mechanism, distinct from the classical ...
Plants & Animals
May 7, 2026
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