[Interaction among anaerobic microbe species in the rumen]

The rumen is a strictly anaerobic ecosystem colonized by an extremely dense microflora and microfauna. These populations are composed of a grand variety of bacterial and protozoal species. Their cohabitation allows observation of most of the known stages of communal life. The different hydrolytic, fermentative and methanogenic activities of these populations ensure the efficient degradation of cell wall constituent in forages (cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin) ingested by ruminants.