Positive Species Interactions Among Plants, Microbes, and Insects as Drivers of Ecological Community Properties

Download Positive Species Interactions Among Plants, Microbes, and Insects as Drivers of Ecological Community Properties PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781303541117
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (411 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Positive Species Interactions Among Plants, Microbes, and Insects as Drivers of Ecological Community Properties by : Melissa Renee Lorraine Whitaker

Download or read book Positive Species Interactions Among Plants, Microbes, and Insects as Drivers of Ecological Community Properties written by Melissa Renee Lorraine Whitaker and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While positive species interactions are increasingly recognized as playing a fundamental role in the ecology and evolution of most organisms, the dynamics of multi-species positive interactions remain poorly understood. My dissertation takes a community ecology approach to investigating positive species interactions among insects, plants, and microbes, asking how associations among one set of organisms affect mutualisms among others sets of interacting organisms. The first chapter experimentally demonstrates the positive effects of plant-rhizobia interactions on aphid growth and honeydew composition. I grew 180 soybean (Glycine max) plants belonging to two strains: a nodulating strain, the nodules of which are colonized by nutrient-fixing bacteria (rhizobia), and a non-nodulating strain that does not harbor rhizobia. Plants were inoculated with soybean aphids (Aphis glycines), and measurements of aphid colony growth and plant traits were taken over three weeks, after which aphid honeydew was collected and chemically analyzed. Aphid colonies grew slightly larger on nodulating plants and honeydew collected from aphids feeding on nodulating plants (i.e. plants that associate with rhizobia) were found to have significantly higher sugar content than aphids feeding on non-nodulating plants. The potential for this result to affect community properties (e.g. ant-aphid interactions) and ecosystem properties (e.g. microbial nitrogen mineralization in the soil) is discussed. Because honeydew is an important factor mediating aphids' interactions with ants, and because ant-aphid interactions are considered keystone interactions in many ecological communities, my second chapter provides an analysis of the arthropod community in the same experimental system. Using a classic community ecology approach, the abundance, diversity, richness, evenness, and community structure of herbivorous and predacious arthropods are compared between plant strains (nodulating and non-nodulating) and experimental treatments. Both the herbivorous and predacious arthropod communities were significantly influenced by the presence of aphids and ants, but results indicate that the additional treatments of aphids and ants negate previously demonstrated positive effects of plant-rhizobia interactions on arthropod community properties. My third chapter provides a taxonomic characterization of the microbiomes of lycaenid caterpillars, an insect group with diverse life histories, diets, and ant associations. Specimens belonging to three subfamilies were collected from the United States, Thailand, and Singapore, and included herbivorous species that facultatively associate with ants and wholly carnivorous taxa that eat homopterans (often under ant attendance). Using high throughput sequencing on an Illumina platform, I used comparative analysis of 16s rRNA gene sequences to characterize and contrast the microbiomes of each specimen. This work is the first to explore the microbial associations of lycaenid butterflies using high throughput culture-independent techniques. This research will be expanded in future work to address questions related to host-symbiont interactions and the possibility that the evolution of diet and ant- association may be microbially mediated in this group. Finally, in addition to my dissertation research, I completed a capstone project in biodiversity informatics and citizen science. In response to the growing popularity of citizen science and biodiversity monitoring projects and the importance of science outreach and education, I developed a mobile tool for natural history education and biodiversity informatics. The resulting iOS application--The Butterfly Guide: Butterflies of the Sacramento Valley, Delta, and San Francisco Bay Area--is both a mobile field guide and a data collection tool, allowing for the acquisition, synthesis, and dissemination of butterfly data by students, naturalists, and citizen scientists. Most importantly, all source code and development materials are freely available as a template for other developers interested in creating similar field guides. This project thereby serves as a prototype with the hope that it will increase opportunities for non-scientists to engage in the natural world, participate in the scientific process, and generate reliable biodiversity data.

Positive Plant Interactions and Community Dynamics

Download Positive Plant Interactions and Community Dynamics PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1439824959
Total Pages : 178 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (398 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Positive Plant Interactions and Community Dynamics by : Francisco Pugnaire

Download or read book Positive Plant Interactions and Community Dynamics written by Francisco Pugnaire and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2010-02-09 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ever since the concept of the "struggle for life" became the heart of Darwin's theory of evolution, biologists have studied the relevance of interactions for the natural history and evolution of organisms. Although positive interactions among plants have traditionally received little attention, there is now a growing body of evidence showing the ef

Positive Interactions and Interdependence in Plant Communities

Download Positive Interactions and Interdependence in Plant Communities PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1402062249
Total Pages : 419 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (2 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Positive Interactions and Interdependence in Plant Communities by : Ragan M. Callaway

Download or read book Positive Interactions and Interdependence in Plant Communities written by Ragan M. Callaway and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-08-28 with total page 419 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book marshals ecological literature from the last century on facilitation to make the case against the widely accepted individualistic notion of community organization. It examines the idea that positive interactions are more prevalent in physically stressful conditions. Coverage also includes species specificity in facilitative interactions, indirect facilitative interactions, and potential evolutionary aspects of positive interactions.

Insect Symbiosis, Volume 3

Download Insect Symbiosis, Volume 3 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1420064118
Total Pages : 444 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (2 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Insect Symbiosis, Volume 3 by : Kostas Bourtzis

Download or read book Insect Symbiosis, Volume 3 written by Kostas Bourtzis and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2008-10-28 with total page 444 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The associations between insects and microorganisms, while pervasive and of paramount ecological importance, have been relatively poorly understood. The third book in this set, Insect Symbiosis, Volume 3, complements the previous volumes in exploring this somewhat uncharted territory. Like its predecessors, Volume 3 illustrates how symbiosis resear

Environmental Microbiology: Fundamentals and Applications

Download Environmental Microbiology: Fundamentals and Applications PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 940179118X
Total Pages : 933 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (17 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Environmental Microbiology: Fundamentals and Applications by : Jean-Claude Bertrand

Download or read book Environmental Microbiology: Fundamentals and Applications written by Jean-Claude Bertrand and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-01-26 with total page 933 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a treatise on microbial ecology that covers traditional and cutting-edge issues in the ecology of microbes in the biosphere. It emphasizes on study tools, microbial taxonomy and the fundamentals of microbial activities and interactions within their communities and environment as well as on the related food web dynamics and biogeochemical cycling. The work exceeds the traditional domain of microbial ecology by revisiting the evolution of cellular prokaryotes and eukaryotes and stressing the general principles of ecology. The overview of the topics, authored by more than 80 specialists, is one of the broadest in the field of environmental microbiology. The overview of the topics, authored by more than 80 specialists, is one of the broadest in the field of environmental microbiology.

Microbial Mediation of Plant-Herbivore Interactions

Download Microbial Mediation of Plant-Herbivore Interactions PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 9780471613244
Total Pages : 552 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (132 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Microbial Mediation of Plant-Herbivore Interactions by : Pedro Barbosa

Download or read book Microbial Mediation of Plant-Herbivore Interactions written by Pedro Barbosa and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 1991-09-03 with total page 552 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Novel Aspects of Insect-Plant Interactions Edited by Pedro Barbosa and Deborah K. Letourneau Focusing on three trophic levels, this study widens the current understanding of the ecological interactions between plants, herbivores, and their parasitoids and predators. Emphasized are the mediating effects of plant-derived allelochemicals on those interactions. The book also covers microorganisms as mediators of intertrophic and intratrophic interactions; theory and mechanisms: plant effects via allelochemicals on the third trophic level; and key roles of plant allelochemicals in survival strategies of herbivores. 1988 (0 471-83276-6) 362 pp. Plant-Animal Interactions Evolutionary Ecology in Tropical and Temperate Regions Edited by Peter W. Price, Thomas M. Lewinsohn, G. Wilson Fernandes and Woodruff W. Benson An outgrowth of an international symposium on Evolutionary Ecology of Tropical Herbivores held at UNICAMP, Brazil, this unique collaborative effort from leading scientists worldwide is the first comparative analysis of the existing ecological systems of temperate and tropical regions. In-depth and timely, the book's manifold analyses includes a discussion of tropical and temperate comparisons; mutualistic relationships between plants and animals; antagonistic relationships between plants and animals; plant-butterfly interactions; specificity in plant utilization; and community patterns in natural and agricultural systems. Amply illustrated with 150 detailed graphics, the book provides a fascinating visual tour of the flora and fauna described. 1991 (0 471-50937-X) 639 pp. Integrated Pest Management Systems and Cotton Production Edited by Raymond E. Frisbie, Kamal M. El-Zik and L. Ted Wilson This work sheds light on the link between the thriving U.S. cotton crop and integrated pest management. It offers a unique theoretical and conceptual framework for studying the cotton-IPM system. Other relevant issues such as the development and use of pest models, quantitative sampling principles in cotton IPM, economic injury levels and thresholds for cotton pests, and strategies and tactics for managing weeds, plant pathogens, nematodes, and insects are also described. Covering every facet of IPM technology, this is a significant contribution to the literature of pest management. 1989 (0 471-81782-1) 437 pp.

Insects and Ecosystem Function

Download Insects and Ecosystem Function PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 354074004X
Total Pages : 419 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (47 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Insects and Ecosystem Function by : W.W. Weisser

Download or read book Insects and Ecosystem Function written by W.W. Weisser and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-06-05 with total page 419 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Insects are a dominant component of biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems and play a key role in mediating the relationship between plants and ecosystem processes. This volume examines their effects on ecosystem functioning, focusing mainly, but not exclusively, on herbivorous insects. Renowned authors with extensive experience in the field of plant-insect interactions, contribute to the volume using examples from their own work.

Chemically Mediated Interactions between Plants and Other Organisms

Download Chemically Mediated Interactions between Plants and Other Organisms PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 9781475796605
Total Pages : 246 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (966 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Chemically Mediated Interactions between Plants and Other Organisms by : Gillian A. Cooper-Driver

Download or read book Chemically Mediated Interactions between Plants and Other Organisms written by Gillian A. Cooper-Driver and published by Springer. This book was released on 2013-04-26 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chemical warfare between plants and their herbivores and pathogens was first brought to our attention by the publication 25 years ago of the paper by Fraenkel in Science. There, he pointed out that most plants have similar nutritional characteristics so that the selection of plants by insect herbivores must depend on the relative toxicity of secondary compounds. This led, rather gradually, to a host of papers on plant-herbivore interactions. More or less at the same time, insect physiologists and ecologists were starting to realise the importance of chemical communi cation systems in determining sexual and other characteristics of insect behaviour. Nine years ago the Phytochemical Society of North America published their Symposium on 'Biochemical Interaction Between Plants and Insects' in which the plant apparency theory was expounded by both Paul Feeny and Rex Cates and David Rhoades. This stated that plants which are apparent usually contain secondary components which reduce digestibility (tannins and lignins) while ephemeral plants have more toxic, and perhaps less costly, compounds such as alkaloids. These papers stimulated much research on biochemical ecology. The recognition of the importance of the biochemical factors in such interactions is not just of scientific interest. It is vitally important in programs for the production of new varieties of cultivated plants, especially in tropical countries where about one-third or more of the crops are lost to predation or disease.

Insects on Plants

Download Insects on Plants PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780674455122
Total Pages : 313 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (551 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Insects on Plants by : Donald R. Strong

Download or read book Insects on Plants written by Donald R. Strong and published by . This book was released on 1984 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The evolution of phytophagous insects; the major determinants of diversity;community patterns through time-the dynamics of colonization and speciation;species interactions in communities-the animals;interactions involving the plants;coevolution.

Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Download Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 9811065934
Total Pages : 766 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (11 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives by : Dhananjaya Pratap Singh

Download or read book Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives written by Dhananjaya Pratap Singh and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-12-15 with total page 766 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book puts an updated account on functional aspects of multiphasic microbial interactions within and between plants and their ecosystem. Multipronged interaction in the soil microbial communities with the plants constitute a relay of mechanisms that make profound changes in plant and its micro-environment in the rhizopshere at physiological, biochemical and molecular levels. In agro-ecological perspectives, such interactions are known to recycle nutrients and regulate signalling molecules, phytohormones and other small molecules that help plant growth and development. Such aspects are described deeply in this book taking examples from various crop plants and microbial systems. Authors described the most advantageous prospects of plant-microbe interaction in terms of inoculation of beneficial microorganisms (microbial inoculants) with the plants in which microbes proliferate in the root rhizosphere system and benefit plants' with definite functions like fixation of nitrogen, solubilization and mobilization of P, K, Zn and production of phytohormones. The subject of this book and the content presented herein has great relevance to the agro-ecological sustainability of crop plants with the help of microbial interactions. The chapters presented focus on defining and assessing the impact of beneficial microbial interactions on different soils, crops and abiotic conditions. This volume entails about exploiting beneficial microbial interactions to help plants under abiotic conditions, microbe-mediated induced systemic tolerance, role of mycorrhizal interactions in improving plant tolerance against stresses, PGPR as nutrient mobilizers, phytostimulants, antagonists and biocontrol agents, plant interactions with Trichoderma and other bioagents for sustainable intensification in agriculture, cyanobacteria as PGPRs, plant microbiome for crop management and phytoremediation and rhizoremediation using microbial communities. The overall content entrust advanced knowledge and applicability of diversified biotechnological, techno-commercial and agro-ecological aspects of microbial interactions and inoculants as inputs, which upon inoculation with crop plants benefit them in multiple ways.

Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives

Download Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 981105813X
Total Pages : 662 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (11 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives by : Dhananjaya Pratap Singh

Download or read book Plant-Microbe Interactions in Agro-Ecological Perspectives written by Dhananjaya Pratap Singh and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-09-27 with total page 662 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This books presents an updated compilation on fundamental interaction mechanisms of microbial communities with the plant roots and rhizosphere (belowground) and leaves and aerial parts (aboveground). Plant rhizopshere recruits its own microbial composition that survive there and help plants grow and develop better under biotic and abiotic conditions. Similar is the case with the beneficial microorganisms which are applied as inoculants with characteristic functions. The mechanism of plant-microbe interactions is interesting phenomenon in biological perspectives with numerous implications in the fields. The First volume focuses on the basic and fundamental mechanisms that have been worked out by the scientific communities taking into account different plant-microbe systems. This includes methods that decipher mechanisms at cellular, physiological, biochemical and molecular levels and the functions that are the final outcome of any beneficial or non-beneficial interactions in crop plants and microbes. Recent advances in this research area is covered in different book chapters that reflect the impact of microbial interactions on soil and plant health, dynamics of rhizosphere microbial communities, interaction mechanisms of microbes with multiple functional attributes, microbiome of contrasting crop production systems (organic vs conventional), mechanisms behind symbiotic and pathogenic interactions, endophytic (bacterial and fungal) interaction and benefits, rhizoplane and endosphere associations, signalling cascades and determinants in rhizosphere, quorum sensing in bacteria and impact on interaction, mycorrhizal interaction mechanisms, induced disease resistance and plant immunization, interaction mechanisms that suppress disease and belowground microbial crosstalk with plant rhizosphere. Methods based on multiphasic and multi-omics approaches were discussed in detail by the authors. Content-wise, the book offers an advanced account on various aspects of plant-microbe interactions and valuable implications in agro-ecological perspectives.

Trait-Mediated Indirect Interactions

Download Trait-Mediated Indirect Interactions PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1107001838
Total Pages : 563 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (7 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Trait-Mediated Indirect Interactions by : Takayuki Ohgushi

Download or read book Trait-Mediated Indirect Interactions written by Takayuki Ohgushi and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 563 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book reviews state-of-the-art research into trait-based effects and their importance in community and ecosystem ecology.

Interactions and Interdependence in Plant Communities

Download Interactions and Interdependence in Plant Communities PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Syrawood Publishing House
ISBN 13 : 9781647403485
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (34 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Interactions and Interdependence in Plant Communities by : Jason Eady

Download or read book Interactions and Interdependence in Plant Communities written by Jason Eady and published by Syrawood Publishing House. This book was released on 2023-09-26 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The collection of plant species which are present in a particular geographical area, and which forms a relatively uniform patch that can be differentiated from neighboring patches of different vegetation types, is known as a plant community. The study of these communities of plants is integral towards developing an understanding of the impact of dispersal, response to disturbance and tolerance to environmental conditions in different varieties of plant species. Interactions and interdependence in plant communities involve the study of the influence of facilitation and positive interactions among species in plant communities. It includes species specificity in facilitative interactions, indirect facilitative interactions, and potential evolutionary aspects of positive interactions. This book includes some of the vital pieces of work being conducted across the world, on various topics related to interactions and interdependence in plant communities. It attempts to assist those with a goal of delving into the field of botany. This book is a resource guide for experts as well as students.

Plant Invasions

Download Plant Invasions PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : CABI
ISBN 13 : 1789242177
Total Pages : 481 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (892 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Plant Invasions by : Anna Traveset

Download or read book Plant Invasions written by Anna Traveset and published by CABI. This book was released on 2020-11-20 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are many books on aspects of plant invasions, but none that focus on the key role of species interactions in mediating invasions. This book reviews exciting new findings and explores how new methods and tools are shedding new light on crucial processes in plant invasions. This book will be of interest to academics and students of ecology, researchers engaged in developing management solutions, scientific managers of natural ecosystems, and policy-makers.

Multitrophic Level Interactions

Download Multitrophic Level Interactions PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780521791106
Total Pages : 234 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (911 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Multitrophic Level Interactions by : Teja Tscharntke

Download or read book Multitrophic Level Interactions written by Teja Tscharntke and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2002-03-21 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the complex interactions between plants, their herbivores and natural enemies.

Aboveground-Belowground Linkages

Download Aboveground-Belowground Linkages PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0199546878
Total Pages : 312 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (995 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Aboveground-Belowground Linkages by : Richard D. Bardgett

Download or read book Aboveground-Belowground Linkages written by Richard D. Bardgett and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-07-29 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Aboveground-Belowground Linkages provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive synthesis of recent advances in our understanding of the roles that interactions between aboveground and belowground communities play in regulating the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems, and their responses to global change. It charts the historical development of this field of ecology and evaluates what can be learned from the recent proliferation of studies on the ecological and biogeochemical significance of aboveground-belowground linkages. The book is structured around four key topics: biotic interactions in the soil; plant community effects; the role of aboveground consumers; and the influence of species gains and losses. A concluding chapter draws together this information and identifies a number of cross-cutting themes, including consideration of aboveground-belowground feedbacks that occur at different spatial and temporal scales, the consequences of these feedbacks for ecosystem processes, and how aboveground-belowground interactions link to human-induced global change.

The Social Biology of Microbial Communities

Download The Social Biology of Microbial Communities PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309264324
Total Pages : 633 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (92 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Social Biology of Microbial Communities by : Institute of Medicine

Download or read book The Social Biology of Microbial Communities written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2013-01-10 with total page 633 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beginning with the germ theory of disease in the 19th century and extending through most of the 20th century, microbes were believed to live their lives as solitary, unicellular, disease-causing organisms . This perception stemmed from the focus of most investigators on organisms that could be grown in the laboratory as cellular monocultures, often dispersed in liquid, and under ambient conditions of temperature, lighting, and humidity. Most such inquiries were designed to identify microbial pathogens by satisfying Koch's postulates.3 This pathogen-centric approach to the study of microorganisms produced a metaphorical "war" against these microbial invaders waged with antibiotic therapies, while simultaneously obscuring the dynamic relationships that exist among and between host organisms and their associated microorganisms-only a tiny fraction of which act as pathogens. Despite their obvious importance, very little is actually known about the processes and factors that influence the assembly, function, and stability of microbial communities. Gaining this knowledge will require a seismic shift away from the study of individual microbes in isolation to inquiries into the nature of diverse and often complex microbial communities, the forces that shape them, and their relationships with other communities and organisms, including their multicellular hosts. On March 6 and 7, 2012, the Institute of Medicine's (IOM's) Forum on Microbial Threats hosted a public workshop to explore the emerging science of the "social biology" of microbial communities. Workshop presentations and discussions embraced a wide spectrum of topics, experimental systems, and theoretical perspectives representative of the current, multifaceted exploration of the microbial frontier. Participants discussed ecological, evolutionary, and genetic factors contributing to the assembly, function, and stability of microbial communities; how microbial communities adapt and respond to environmental stimuli; theoretical and experimental approaches to advance this nascent field; and potential applications of knowledge gained from the study of microbial communities for the improvement of human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health and toward a deeper understanding of microbial diversity and evolution. The Social Biology of Microbial Communities: Workshop Summary further explains the happenings of the workshop.