Microbial associations for bioremediation. What does "microbial consortia" mean?

Area of Science:

• Environmental microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Bioremediation

Background:

• Microbial associations are vital for biotechnological applications, particularly in bioremediation.
• The terminology for microbial associations, such as microbial consortia (MC), lacks standardization in scientific literature.
• Existing classifications do not fully address the nuances of MC used for pollutant biodegradation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the diverse terminology used for microbial consortia in bioremediation.
• To propose a rational and simplified classification system for microbial consortia.
• To clarify the criteria for categorizing microbial consortia based on origin, intervention, and interaction.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and bibliographical analysis of microbial consortia.
• Examination of criteria used by authors to define and classify microbial consortia.
• Synthesis of information to propose a new classification framework.

Main Results:

• Identified lack of consensus on the definition and classification of microbial consortia.
• Recognized origin and human intervention as key classification criteria (natural, artificial, synthetic microbial consortia).
• Proposed incorporating microbial interaction as a crucial classification factor.

Conclusions:

• A clear classification system for microbial consortia is needed for effective bioremediation research.
• The proposed classification, considering origin, intervention, and interaction, offers a more comprehensive approach.
• Further research should address the 'grey zones' between categories and explore cross-kingdom consortia.