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

Structural Protein Function01:56

Structural Protein Function

29.9K
Structural proteins are a category of proteins responsible for functions ranging from cell shape and movement to providing support to major structures such as bones, cartilage, hair, and muscles. This group includes proteins such as collagen, actin, myosin, and keratin.
Collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, is found throughout the body. In connective tissue, such as skin, ligaments, and tendons, it provides tensile strength and elasticity.  In bones and teeth, it mineralizes to...
29.9K
Structural Protein Function01:56

Structural Protein Function

3.2K
3.2K
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

556
Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
556
Assembly of Complex Microtubule Structures01:32

Assembly of Complex Microtubule Structures

2.5K
Complex microtubule structures are present in resting cells and in dividing cells. In resting cells, they are responsible for maintaining the cellular architecture, tracks for intracellular transport, positioning of organelles, assembly of cilia and flagella. They mediate the bipolar spindle assembly for chromosomal segregation and positioning of the cell division plate in dividing cells. The formation of microtubule complex structures depends on the cell type, cell stage, and cell function.
2.5K
What are Populations and Communities?00:30

What are Populations and Communities?

37.5K
Overview
37.5K
Fruit Development, Structure, and Function01:58

Fruit Development, Structure, and Function

25.1K
Fruits form from a mature flower ovary. As seeds develop from the ovules contained within, the ovary wall undergoes a series of complex changes to form fruit. In some fruits, such as soybeans, the ovary wall dries; in other fruits, such as grapes, it remains fleshy. In some cases, organs other than the ovary contribute to fruit formation; such fruits are called accessory fruits.
25.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Network Component Analysis Can Identify Potential Axenisation Strategies Circumventing Antibiotic-Use for Phototrophic Eukaryotic Microalgae.

Environmental microbiology reports·2026
Same author

Linking nutrient availability and community size to stochasticity in microbial community assembly.

FEMS microbiology ecology·2025
Same author

From Low-Loaded Mesophilic to High-Loaded Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion: Changes in Reactor Performance and Microbiome.

Microbial biotechnology·2025
Same author

From ecology to engineering: the role of myxobacteria in recirculating aquaculture systems.

Applied and environmental microbiology·2025
Same author

Removal of pharmaceutical active compounds in multi-module biochar filter (MmBF) for post-septic tank treatment.

Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research·2025
Same author

Human contributions to global soundscapes are less predictable than the acoustic rhythms of wildlife.

Nature ecology & evolution·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Assembly and Tracking of Microbial Community Development within a Microwell Array Platform
09:24

Assembly and Tracking of Microbial Community Development within a Microwell Array Platform

Published on: June 6, 2017

9.6K

Thickness determines microbial community structure and function in nitrifying biofilms via deterministic assembly.

Carolina Suarez1,2, Maria Piculell3, Oskar Modin4

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology/Microbiology, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden. carolina.suarez@cmb.gu.se.

Scientific Reports
|March 27, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Biofilm thickness significantly shapes microbial communities and ecosystem functions in aquatic environments. Even under identical conditions, distinct biofilm thicknesses drive deterministic changes in species composition and nitrogen cycling.

More Related Videos

Biology of Microbial Communities - Interview
14:42

Biology of Microbial Communities - Interview

Published on: May 28, 2007

9.1K
Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview
29:13

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview

Published on: May 28, 2007

6.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Assembly and Tracking of Microbial Community Development within a Microwell Array Platform
09:24

Assembly and Tracking of Microbial Community Development within a Microwell Array Platform

Published on: June 6, 2017

9.6K
Biology of Microbial Communities - Interview
14:42

Biology of Microbial Communities - Interview

Published on: May 28, 2007

9.1K
Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview
29:13

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview

Published on: May 28, 2007

6.8K

Area of Science:

  • Microbial Ecology
  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Microbial biofilms are crucial in aquatic ecosystems, influencing community structure and function.
  • Biofilm thickness is a key factor, but difficult to isolate from external variables like flow and nutrients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To experimentally determine the impact of biofilm thickness on microbial community composition and function.
  • To investigate the role of deterministic factors in shaping communities of varying thicknesses.

Main Methods:

  • Cultivated nitrifying biofilms of two distinct thicknesses (50 µm and 400 µm) within a single wastewater treatment reactor.
  • Ensured identical external conditions (water flow, temperature, nutrients) for both biofilm types.
  • Analyzed microbial community composition and nitrogen transformation rates.

Main Results:

  • Significant differences in beta-diversity were observed between the 50 µm and 400 µm biofilm communities.
  • Deterministic factors, primarily species turnover, drove these community differences, not simple species loss.
  • Distinct nitrogen-transforming bacterial compositions and altered nitrogen transformation rates were found in the different thickness biofilms.

Conclusions:

  • Biofilm thickness is a primary determinant of microbial community structure and ecosystem function.
  • These findings have implications for optimizing wastewater treatment processes and understanding biofilm ecology.