The unseen world: Environmental microbial sequencing and identification methods for ecologists

Naupaka Zimmerman, Jacques Izard, Christian Klatt, Jizhong Zhou, Emma Aronson

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

Microorganisms inhabit almost every environment, comprise the majority of diversity on Earth, are important in biogeochemical cycling, and may be vital to ecosystem responses to large-scale climatic change. In recent years, ecologists have begun to use rapidly advancing molecular techniques to address questions about microbial diversity, biogeography, and responses to environmental change. Studies of microbes in the environment generally focus on three broad objectives: determining which organisms are present, what their functional capabilities are, and which are active at any given time. However, comprehending the range of methodologies currently in use can be daunting. To provide an overview of environmental microbial sequence data collection and analysis approaches, we include case studies of microbiomes ranging from the human mouth to geothermal springs. We also suggest contexts in which each technique can be applied and highlight insights that result from their use.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)224-231
Number of pages8
JournalFrontiers in Ecology and the Environment
Volume12
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2014
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Ecology

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