Developments in aquatic microbiology

Major discoveries in marine microbiology over the past 4-5 decades have resulted in the recognition of bacteria as a major biomass component of marine food webs. Such discoveries include chemosynthetic activities in deep-ocean ecosystems, survival processes in oligotrophic waters, and the role of microorganisms in food webs coupled with symbiotic relationships and energy flow. Many discoveries can be attributed to innovative methodologies, including radioisotopes, immunofluorescent-epifluorescent analysis, and flow cytometry. The latter has shown the key role of marine viruses in marine system energetics. Studies of the components of the "microbial loop" have shown the significance of various phagotrophic processes involved in grazing by microinvertebrates. Microbial activities and dissolved organic carbon are closely coupled with the dynamics of fluctuating water masses. New biotechnological approaches and the use of molecular biology techniques still provide new and relevant information on the role of microorganisms in oceanic and estuarine environments. International interdisciplinary studies have explored ecological aspects of marine microorganisms and their significance in biocomplexity. Studies on the origins of both life and ecosystems now focus on microbiological processes in the marine environment. This paper describes earlier and recent discoveries in marine (aquatic) microbiology and the trends for future work, emphasizing improvements in methodology as major catalysts for the progress of this broadly-based field.