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

Microtubule Instability02:17

Microtubule Instability

5.2K
Microtubules are hollow cylindrical filaments having a diameter of approximately 25 nm and a length that varies from 200 nm to 25 μm. GTP-bound tubulin subunits form αβ-heterodimers for microtubule assembly. These core building blocks interact longitudinally, polymerizing into protofilaments. The protofilaments then interact with one another through lateral bonding forces to form stable cylindrical microtubules. These cylindrical filaments are dynamic as they undergo repeated...
5.2K
Microbial Nutrition01:28

Microbial Nutrition

210
Organisms exhibit remarkable metabolic diversity, categorized based on how they acquire energy and carbon. These strategies enable survival in various ecological niches and are essential for maintaining energy flow and nutrient cycling within ecosystems.Energy and Carbon SourcesOrganisms are classified as phototrophs or chemotrophs based on energy acquisition. Phototrophs use light as their energy source, while chemotrophs rely on oxidizing chemical compounds. Further differentiation arises...
210
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

77
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,...
77
Destabilization of Microtubules01:45

Destabilization of Microtubules

2.8K
The destabilization of microtubules can occur during different stages of the microtubule lifecycle, such as nucleation or elongation. It can take place at either end of the microtubule or in the microtubule lattices as a whole. The lifespan of individual microtubules within a cell varies according to the cell type and stage of the cell cycle. During interphase, the lifespan of the microtubule is about 30 minutes, while during cell division, it is about 15 minutes. In axonal microtubules of...
2.8K
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms01:30

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

165
Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...
165
Factors Influencing Microbial Growth: Temperature01:27

Factors Influencing Microbial Growth: Temperature

124
Microorganisms display remarkable adaptations, enabling them to thrive in diverse ecological niches across a wide range of temperatures. Temperature profoundly influences microbial growth by affecting enzymatic activity, membrane fluidity, and other cellular processes.Each microorganism operates within a specific temperature range defined by three cardinal points: minimum, optimum, and maximum. Below the minimum temperature, membranes lose fluidity, halting transport processes. Above the...
124

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Metabolic feedbacks drive population dynamics and can lead to oscillations among leaf bacteria.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Phage-mediated lysis increases growth rate of surviving bacterial cells.

iScience·2026
Same author

Limits to the evolution of metabolic dependency in spatially structured microbial communities.

iScience·2026
Same author

Antagonism as a foraging strategy in microbial communities.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025
Same author

A framework for understanding collective microbiome metabolism.

Nature microbiology·2024
Same author

Polysaccharide breakdown products drive degradation-dispersal cycles of foraging bacteria through changes in metabolism and motility.

eLife·2024
Same journal

Erratum for the Research Article "Detecting supramolecular organic nanoparticles during heat wave".

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Local signals, systemic decline.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

The mechanics of liver regeneration.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Computing in a memory with physics.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Retraction.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Making time.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 26, 2025

Monitoring Spatial Segregation in Surface Colonizing Microbial Populations
07:40

Monitoring Spatial Segregation in Surface Colonizing Microbial Populations

Published on: October 29, 2016

11.1K

Community instability in the microbial world.

Matthias Huelsmann1,2, Martin Ackermann1,2

  • 1Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8006 Zürich, Switzerland.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|October 6, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Miniature ecosystems, also known as microcosms, offer valuable insights into fundamental ecological principles. Studying these controlled environments helps scientists understand complex natural systems.

More Related Videos

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

9.1K
Investigation of Microbial Cooperation via Imaging Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Bacterial Colonies Grown on Agar and in Tissue During Infection
09:49

Investigation of Microbial Cooperation via Imaging Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Bacterial Colonies Grown on Agar and in Tissue During Infection

Published on: November 18, 2022

2.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 26, 2025

Monitoring Spatial Segregation in Surface Colonizing Microbial Populations
07:40

Monitoring Spatial Segregation in Surface Colonizing Microbial Populations

Published on: October 29, 2016

11.1K
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

9.1K
Investigation of Microbial Cooperation via Imaging Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Bacterial Colonies Grown on Agar and in Tissue During Infection
09:49

Investigation of Microbial Cooperation via Imaging Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Bacterial Colonies Grown on Agar and in Tissue During Infection

Published on: November 18, 2022

2.2K

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Environmental Science

Background:

  • Ecological principles are often studied in large, complex natural systems.
  • Miniature ecosystems (microcosms) offer a simplified, controlled alternative for research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the utility of miniature ecosystems for understanding general ecological principles.
  • To demonstrate how microcosms can elucidate fundamental ecological concepts.

Main Methods:

  • Establishment of controlled miniature ecosystems.
  • Monitoring of key ecological parameters within these systems.
  • Analysis of data to identify patterns and principles.

Main Results:

  • Miniature ecosystems successfully replicated key ecological dynamics.
  • Specific ecological principles were clearly observable in the controlled environments.
  • Data from microcosms aligned with observations from larger-scale studies.

Conclusions:

  • Miniature ecosystems are effective tools for studying general ecological principles.
  • Microcosm research provides a scalable approach to ecological investigation.
  • Controlled experimental systems enhance the understanding of ecological theory.