Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Soil Microbial Ecology01:29

Soil Microbial Ecology

74
Soil microbial ecology is defined by highly diverse, spatially structured communities that drive nutrient cycling, organic matter turnover, and overall ecosystem stability. Although a gram of soil can contain thousands of bacterial and archaeal taxa, the ecological processes they mediate are even more crucial for sustaining terrestrial life.Microhabitats and NichesSoil is a heterogeneous mixture of minerals, organic matter, water, and air. Microbes inhabit distinct microhabitats formed by...
74
Microbial Mats01:25

Microbial Mats

65
Microbial communities forming biofilms and mats represent complex, spatially structured ecosystems where metabolic processes are stratified according to light, oxygen, and nutrient gradients. Biofilms are initial colonization stages, only a few millimeters thick, while mature microbial mats can reach centimeter-scale thickness and display intricate vertical organization. Their structural and functional heterogeneity allows microorganisms to occupy distinct ecological niches within a few...
65
Microenvironments01:22

Microenvironments

52
Microorganisms inhabit highly localized spaces known as microenvironments, which are defined by distinct physical and chemical characteristics. These include oxygen concentration, pH, temperature, light availability, and nutrient levels. The conditions within a microenvironment can differ markedly from those in the surrounding area and significantly influence microbial growth, metabolism, and community structure.Microenvironments often display sharp physicochemical gradients over small spatial...
52
Introduction to Microbial Ecology01:28

Introduction to Microbial Ecology

414
Microbial ecology examines the complex web of interactions and diversity among microorganisms within various ecosystems. This field seeks to understand how microbial populations adapt to and influence their environments and how these interactions shape broader ecological processes. Microbes are integral to ecosystem function, participating in nutrient cycling, energy flow, and the maintenance of environmental homeostasis.An ecosystem represents a dynamic interaction between living organisms...
414
Marine Microbial Ecology01:30

Marine Microbial Ecology

63
Marine microbial ecosystems are shaped by distinct physicochemical limits, including high salinity, low nutrient availability, and fluctuating oxygen levels. These conditions favor smaller microbial cell sizes, which maximize their surface-to-volume ratio for efficient nutrient uptake.Microbial activity and community composition are closely linked to biogeochemical cycles, particularly in dynamic environments like estuaries, where halotolerant microbes thrive in response to variable salinity...
63
Microbial Leaching01:27

Microbial Leaching

211
Microbial leaching, also known as bioleaching, is an environmentally favorable method for extracting metals from low-grade ores using specific microorganisms. This biotechnological approach is particularly valuable for mining operations targeting copper, gold, and uranium, where traditional extraction methods may be economically or environmentally impractical.Copper Leaching and Microbial CatalysisIn copper bioleaching, crushed ore is arranged into heaps and irrigated with a dilute sulfuric...
211

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Disentangling the importance of microbiological and physico-chemical properties of Ethiopian field soils for the Striga seed bank and sorghum infestation.

Environmental microbiome·2026
Same author

Decoding the adaptive strategies of versatile diazotrophs to multi-metal(loid) stress in mercury-mining impacted farmland soils.

Journal of hazardous materials·2026
Same author

Host-mediated rhizosphere microbiome transfer suppresses Fusarium oxysporum in banana.

The New phytologist·2026
Same author

Specific Metabolites Modulate Core Microbes and Microbial Interactions to Drive Fomesafen Dissipation in the Soybean Rhizosphere.

Journal of agricultural and food chemistry·2026
Same author

Iron and sulphur regulate carbon dioxide emissions in drained coastal peatlands of The Netherlands.

Biogeochemistry·2026
Same author

Reconciling links between diversity and population stability across global plant communities.

The New phytologist·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 24, 2026

A Lipid Extraction and Analysis Method for Characterizing Soil Microbes in Experiments with Many Samples
17:39

A Lipid Extraction and Analysis Method for Characterizing Soil Microbes in Experiments with Many Samples

Published on: July 16, 2017

22.4K

Soil-borne microbial functional structure across different land uses.

Eiko E Kuramae1, Jizhong Z Zhou2, George A Kowalchuk3

  • 1Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Thescientificworldjournal
|September 2, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Soil microbial functions are driven by environmental factors, not land use. The carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio significantly influences microbial gene expression, impacting processes like carbon degradation and nitrogen cycling.

More Related Videos

Isolation and Analysis of Microbial Communities in Soil, Rhizosphere, and Roots in Perennial Grass Experiments
10:31

Isolation and Analysis of Microbial Communities in Soil, Rhizosphere, and Roots in Perennial Grass Experiments

Published on: July 24, 2018

58.2K
Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations
10:30

Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations

Published on: September 11, 2016

10.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 24, 2026

A Lipid Extraction and Analysis Method for Characterizing Soil Microbes in Experiments with Many Samples
17:39

A Lipid Extraction and Analysis Method for Characterizing Soil Microbes in Experiments with Many Samples

Published on: July 16, 2017

22.4K
Isolation and Analysis of Microbial Communities in Soil, Rhizosphere, and Roots in Perennial Grass Experiments
10:31

Isolation and Analysis of Microbial Communities in Soil, Rhizosphere, and Roots in Perennial Grass Experiments

Published on: July 24, 2018

58.2K
Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations
10:30

Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations

Published on: September 11, 2016

10.3K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Soil Science
  • Environmental Science

Background:

  • Land use change significantly impacts soil microbial community structure and function.
  • Understanding the relationship between environmental factors and microbial functions is crucial but remains incomplete.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional structure of soil microbial communities across diverse land uses.
  • To identify key environmental factors driving microbial community functional differences.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized functional microarrays to detect genes in soil microbial communities.
  • Employed multivariate regression tree analysis to correlate soil physicochemical properties with gene expression.
  • Analyzed soil properties including C:N ratio, clay content, pH, phosphate, and total nitrogen.

Main Results:

  • The carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio was the primary factor explaining variations in microbial community functional structure.
  • Low C:N ratios correlated with genes for carbon degradation and remediation, while high C:N ratios were linked to genes for sulfate reduction, methane oxidation, nitrification, and nitrogen fixation.
  • Soil factors (C:N ratio, phosphate, total N) were more influential than land management in determining functional gene diversity.

Conclusions:

  • Soil physicochemical properties, particularly the C:N ratio, are key drivers of soil microbial functional genes.
  • Microbial functions related to nutrient cycling and organic matter decomposition are strongly influenced by soil C:N ratio.
  • Land management practices have an indirect effect on microbial function, mediated through changes in soil properties.