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Book Plant Root Interaction With Associated Microbiomes to Improve Plant Resiliency and Crop Biodiversity

Download or read book Plant Root Interaction With Associated Microbiomes to Improve Plant Resiliency and Crop Biodiversity written by Nikolay Vassilev and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2021-09-10 with total page 442 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Book Plant Root Interaction with Associated Microbiomes to Improve Plant Resiliency and Crop Biodiversity  Volume II

Download or read book Plant Root Interaction with Associated Microbiomes to Improve Plant Resiliency and Crop Biodiversity Volume II written by Nikolay Vassilev and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2023-03-17 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Book Rhizobiome

    Book Details:
  • Author : Javid A. Parray
  • Publisher : Elsevier
  • Release : 2023-07-26
  • ISBN : 0443160317
  • Pages : 506 pages

Download or read book Rhizobiome written by Javid A. Parray and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2023-07-26 with total page 506 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rhizosphere: Ecology, Management and Application highlights the use of the rhizosphere microbiome to improve plant and soil health, including strengthening stress resistance and remediating negatively impacted soils. The book focuses on current developments and applications of related low input management strategies in high-value crops as well as non-food plants. Further sections provide insights into the ecology and functions of these interactions, including evidence that plant microbiota is vital for plant growth and stress resilience and health. It highlights fundamental microbiome research to help readers better understand the dynamics within microbial communities and their interactions with various plant hosts and the environment. Microbial-root associations are essential to assist plants under abiotic and biotic stresses and are necessary and beneficial to enhancing agricultural crop production. Numerous studies have enhanced our vision of the complex interactions between the plant, the associated microbial communities, and the environment. Further, microbe – microbe interactions allow the simulation microbial community interactions naturally, and is one of the many modern methods for the development of novel and effective metabolites. Includes insights on the sustainable use of valuable soil rhizobiome Explores the latest biotechnological developments in the harnessing of rhizosphere potential Proposes potential applications and microbial communities in modern agricultural systems, soil bioremediation and environmental restoration Assesses the role of the rhizosphere microbial communities in increasing the growth of crop plants

Book Plant Microbe Interactions in Agro Ecological Perspectives

Download or read book Plant Microbe Interactions in Agro Ecological Perspectives written by Dhananjaya Pratap Singh and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-12-12 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This books presents an updated compilation on fundamental interaction mechanisms of microbial communities with the plant roots and rhizosphere (belowground) and leaves and aerial parts (aboveground). Plant rhizopshere recruits its own microbial composition that survive there and help plants grow and develop better under biotic and abiotic conditions. Similar is the case with the beneficial microorganisms which are applied as inoculants with characteristic functions. The mechanism of plant-microbe interactions is interesting phenomenon in biological perspectives with numerous implications in the fields. The First volume focuses on the basic and fundamental mechanisms that have been worked out by the scientific communities taking into account different plant-microbe systems. This includes methods that decipher mechanisms at cellular, physiological, biochemical and molecular levels and the functions that are the final outcome of any beneficial or non-beneficial interactions in crop plants and microbes. Recent advances in this research area is covered in different book chapters that reflect the impact of microbial interactions on soil and plant health, dynamics of rhizosphere microbial communities, interaction mechanisms of microbes with multiple functional attributes, microbiome of contrasting crop production systems (organic vs conventional), mechanisms behind symbiotic and pathogenic interactions, endophytic (bacterial and fungal) interaction and benefits, rhizoplane and endosphere associations, signalling cascades and determinants in rhizosphere, quorum sensing in bacteria and impact on interaction, mycorrhizal interaction mechanisms, induced disease resistance and plant immunization, interaction mechanisms that suppress disease and belowground microbial crosstalk with plant rhizosphere. Methods based on multiphasic and multi-omics approaches were discussed in detail by the authors. Content-wise, the book offers an advanced account on various aspects of plant-microbe interactions and valuable implications in agro-ecological perspectives.

Book Mechanisms to Management

Download or read book Mechanisms to Management written by Tayler Chicoine Ulbrich and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is an urgent need to address challenges with environmental degradation and climate change in our agricultural landscapes, and the solution may lie with soil microbes. The soil microbes living in close association with plant roots, in the rhizosphere, play a central role in nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and plant growth and, therefore have significant promise for agriculture. Compared to annual crops, perennial cropping systems, such as those used for cellulosic bioenergy, do more for addressing carbon sequestration and soil health. However, to harness the benefits of microbes in these systems, we need to first understand the primary factors impacting their assembly. Many studies show microbial assembly is largely mediated by the plant host, but these studies often focus on isolated plants, and do not consider how neighboring plant interactions may also alter microbiome assembly. Furthermore, for soil biology to be an agricultural solution it is also essential that their benefits are clear and align with farmers' management goals. Studies show that farmers value soil biology and soil health more broadly, but how this guides their management decisions is unknown. To this end, in my dissertation, I use microbial ecology (Chapters 1-3) and social science (Chapter 4), to investigate how plant-microbial interactions and farmer perspectives can be harnessed for sustainable agriculture.In my first three chapters I examine how switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a candidate bioenergy crop, mediates the assembly of its root and rhizosphere microbiome, considering two factors: genotype and neighborhood context. In Chapter 1 I asked if, like plant species, plant genotypes also associate with distinct microbiomes. Using an established field experiment with twelve mature switchgrass cultivars, I found that genotypes have subtle, though significant effects on their rhizosphere microbiomes, and that root traits contribute to this variation. Next, in Chapters 2 and 3, I asked if and how a host plant's microbiome changes with different neighbor plants. To do this, I used two different greenhouse experiments where a focal switchgrass plant was neighbored by different species. In Chapter 2, I show that neighbor identity explains 21% of the variation in the focal plant's rhizosphere community. Changes in the focal plant's root exudates, as well as spillover of microbes from a larger, more competitive neighbor, contributed to the microbiome shifts. In Chapter 3, I disentangle the relative role of microbial spillover versus the host plant in mediating the previously observed neighborhood effects by using specialized plant growth systems called rhizoboxes with root barriers. Here, neighbor identity altered the root microbiomes, but not rhizosphere communities, which also did not differ among the plant species. These results suggest that the host plant does play a role in mediating neighborhood effects in the roots, but shifts in the rhizosphere depend upon each neighbor species harboring a distinct microbiome in the first place. My first three chapters show that there is not one switchgrass microbiome, and that microbial assembly is influenced by plant genotype and neighborhood context. Both factors should be considered as we seek to understand plant-microbial studies in natural settings.Finally, in Chapter Four, I ask how farmers perceive, evaluate, and understand soil health. Using surveys and interviews I found that Michigan farmers have a complex understanding of soil health, and that soil biology is a top consideration, but that it is challenging for farmers to link this knowledge to management decisions. The interviews also revealed several salient research and outreach opportunities that could help farmers more intentionally fit soil health into their management decisions, such as identifying faster-responding indicators of soil biological health or discussing soil health in terms that resonate with farmers' mental models. Altogether, my dissertation shows how mechanistic studies and farmer perspectives each provide novel insights for the potential role of soil biology in sustainable agriculture.

Book Advances in Plant Microbiome Research for Climate Resilient Agriculture

Download or read book Advances in Plant Microbiome Research for Climate Resilient Agriculture written by Ashwani Kumar and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2024-08-07 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This new book, Advances in Plant Microbiome Research for Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Toward Sustainable Farming, covers important aspects of plant microbiome research through contributions from scientists with the latest information available in this area of research. The book provides an introduction to the concept of plant microbiome and its importance for climate-resistant crop plants and discusses the tools and techniques to analyze plant microbiome for sustainable agriculture productivity. It covers microbial endophytes as warriors for plant defense against abiotic and biotic stress. The book also highlights the importance of phyto-microbiomes and presents an overview of the role of metabolomics in bioremediation for sustainable crop production, introducing various metabolomics tools such as GC-MS, LC-MS, and NMR for the sustainable remediation of toxic pollutants from the environment. Web sources and software for metabolomics data interpretation are included as well. The book discusses abiotic and biotic stresses and their effects on crops, the concept and strategies of the rhizosphere microbiome manipulation in crop improvement, the microbial traits in plant stress tolerance and their importance for agriculture, exogenous applications of several compounds and phyto-microbiomes that mitigate the negative effects of salt stress on maize, and the beneficial plant microbial association for sustainable agriculture. With its coverage of the recent research on the current methods and technological advancements for increasing plant resilience to adverse climate scenarios, this volume will be a rich resource for botanists, plant specialists, and researchers concerned with crop science, plant physiology, and plant protection.

Book Microbiome Under Changing Climate

Download or read book Microbiome Under Changing Climate written by Ajay Kumar and published by Woodhead Publishing. This book was released on 2022-01-21 with total page 575 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Microbiome Under Changing Climate: Implications and Solutions presents the latest biotechnological interventions for the judicious use of microbes to ensure optimal agricultural yield. Summarizing aspects of vulnerability, adaptation and amelioration of climate impact, this book provides an important resource for understanding microbes, plants and soil in pursuit of sustainable agriculture and improved food security. It emphasizes the interaction between climate and soil microbes and their potential role in promoting advanced sustainable agricultural solutions, focusing on current research designed to use beneficial microbes such as plant growth promoting microorganisms, fungi, endophytic microbes, and more. Changes in climatic conditions influence all factors of the agricultural ecosystem, including adversely impacting yield both in terms of quantity and nutritional quality. In order to develop resilience against climatic changes, it is increasingly important to understand the effect on the native micro-flora, including the distribution of methanogens and methanotrophs, nutrient content and microbial biomass, among others. Demonstrates the impact of climate change on secondary metabolites of plants and potential responses Incorporates insights on microflora of inhabitant soil Explores mitigation processes and their modulation by sustainable methods Highlights the role of microbial technologies in agricultural sustainability

Book Plant Holobiome Engineering for Climate smart Agritculture

Download or read book Plant Holobiome Engineering for Climate smart Agritculture written by and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2024 with total page 652 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited volume is an inclusive collection of information on crop holobiome, their function and diversity, the plausible role of soil microbes in crop growth, protection from pathogens and stresses, the use of resilient microbiomes for changing climate, and the use of new technologies to study plant-insect-microbe molecular interactions in agricultural systems. Holobiomes provide information about both plants and their microbiomes, which gives a more comprehensive insight, particularly for changing climatic scenarios. By optimizing the crop holobime function crop productivity and plant health can be enhanced manifold. This book deep dives into the numerous ways in which holobiome supports the improving plant health, nutrient uptake, disease control, and stress resistance in major food crops. It helps researchers, academicians, agri-entrepreneurs, and technologists understand the structure and function of holobiomes in crop growth, health, stress tolerance under climatic changes, and holobiome diversity and evolution. The book is also helpful in designing new dimensions in the holobiome research and development of new products and technologies. This volume is of interest and useful to agriculture scientists, microbiologists, ecologists, and is a valuable source of reference to researchers and students.

Book Relationship Between Microbes and the Environment for Sustainable Ecosystem Services  Volume 1

Download or read book Relationship Between Microbes and the Environment for Sustainable Ecosystem Services Volume 1 written by Jastin Samuel and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2022-05-18 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Relationship Between Microbes and Environment for Sustainable Ecosystem Services, Volume One: Microbial Products for Sustainable Ecosystem Services promotes advances in sustainable solutions, value-added products, and fundamental research in microbes and the environment. Topics include advanced and recent discoveries in the use of microbes for sustainable development. Users will find reference information ranging from the description of various microbial applications for sustainability in different aspects of food, energy, the environment and social development. Volume One includes the direct and indirect role of bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, viruses, mycoplasma and protozoans in the development of products contributing towards sustainable. The book provides a holistic approach to the most recent advances in the application of various microbes as a biotechnological tool for a vast range of sustainable applications, modern practices, exploring futuristic strategies to harness its full potential. Covers the latest developments, recent applications and future research avenues in microbial biotechnology for sustainable development Includes expressive tables and figures with concise information about sustainable ecosystem services Provides a wide variety of applications and modern practices of harnessing the potential of microbes in the environment

Book How Research Can Stimulate the Development of Commercial Biological Control Against Plant Diseases

Download or read book How Research Can Stimulate the Development of Commercial Biological Control Against Plant Diseases written by Antonieta De Cal and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-01-09 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biological control has become an attractive alternative strategy for the control of plant diseases to reduce the excessive use of agrochemicals and its health hazards. But a significant gap still exists between basic research involving the discovery of a biocontrol agent and its development and implementation under commercial conditions. Because BCAs (unlike chemical a.m.) need to establish, colonize, survive and perform their metabolic activity to control diseases. In order to move a biocontrol agent from the laboratory to the market place requires many different disciplines and people with a variety of expertise. Research can stimulate the development of commercial biocontrol agents. Chapter 16 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Book Microbiome Stimulants for Crops

Download or read book Microbiome Stimulants for Crops written by James White and published by Woodhead Publishing. This book was released on 2021-04-17 with total page 505 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Microbiome Stimulants for Crops: Mechanisms and Applications provides the latest developments in the real-world development and application of these crop management alternatives in a cost-effective, yield protective way. Sections address questions of research, development and application, with insights into recent legislative efforts in Europe and the United States. The book includes valuable information regarding mechanisms and the practical information needed to support the growing microbial inoculant and biostimulant industry, thus helping focus scientific research in new directions. Provides methods for finding and testing endophytic and growth promotional microbes Explains the mechanisms of microbes and other biostimulant function in promoting plant growth Evaluates methods for treatments of plants with microbes and microbiome stimulants Identifies areas for new research

Book The Role of Plant Roots in Crop Production

Download or read book The Role of Plant Roots in Crop Production written by Nand Kumar Fageria and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2012-07-23 with total page 471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Role of Plant Roots in Crop Production presents the state of knowledge on environmental factors in root growth and development and their effect on the improvement of the yield of annual crops. This book addresses the role of roots in crop production and includes references to numerous annual crops. In addition, it brings together the issues and the state-of-the-art technologies that affect root growth, with comprehensive reviews to facilitate efficient, sustainable, economical, and environmentally responsible crop production. Written for plant scientists, crop scientists, horticulturalists, and soil scientists, plant physiologists, breeders, environmental scientists, agronomists, and undergraduate and graduate students in different disciplines of agricultural science, The Role of Plant Roots in Crop Production: Addresses root architecture and development dynamics to help users improve crop productivity Emphasizes crop production, plant nutrition, and soil chemistry relative to root growth and functions Covers root morphology, root functions, nutrient and water uptake by roots, root-soil interactions, root-environment interactions, root-microbe interactions, physiology of root crops, and management practices to improve root growth Supports content with experimental results, and additional data is presented with pictures Increasing food production worldwide has become a major issue in the 21st century. Stagnation in grain yield of important food crops in recent years in developed, as well as developing, countries has contributed to a sharp increase in food prices. Furthermore, higher grain yield will be needed in the future to feed a burgeoning world population with a rising standard of living that requires more grain per capita. Technologies that enhance productivity, ensure environmental safety, and conserve natural resources are required to meet this challenge.

Book Plant Microbiomes for Sustainable Agriculture

Download or read book Plant Microbiomes for Sustainable Agriculture written by Ajar Nath Yadav and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-03-06 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book encompasses the current knowledge of plant microbiomes and their potential biotechnological application for plant growth, crop yield and soil health for sustainable agriculture. The plant microbiomes (rhizospheric, endophytic and epiphytic) play an important role in plant growth, development, and soil health. Plant and rhizospheric soil are a valuable natural resource harbouring hotspots of microbes, and it plays critical roles in the maintenance of global nutrient balance and ecosystem function. The diverse group of microbes is key components of soil–plant systems, where they are engaged in an intense network of interactions in the rhizosphere/endophytic/phyllospheric. The rhizospheric microbial diversity present in rhizospheric zones has a sufficient amount of nutrients release by plant root systems in form of root exudates for growth, development and activities of microbes. The endophytic microbes are referred to those microorganisms, which colonize in the interior of the plant parts, viz root, stem or seeds without causing any harmful effect on host plant. Endophytic microbes enter in host plants mainly through wounds, naturally occurring as a result of plant growth, or through root hairs and at epidermal conjunctions. Endophytes may be transmitted either vertically (directly from parent to offspring) or horizontally (among individuals). The phyllosphere is a common niche for synergism between microbes and plant. The leaf surface has been termed as phyllosphere and zone of leaves inhabited by microorganisms as phyllosphere. The plant part, especially leaves, is exposed to dust and air currents resulting in the establishments of typical flora on their surface aided by the cuticles, waxes and appendages, which help in the anchorage of microorganisms. The phyllospheric microbes may survive or proliferate on leaves depending on extent of influences of material in leaf diffuseness or exudates. The leaf diffuseness contains the principal nutrients factors (amino acids, glucose, fructose and sucrose), and such specialized habitats may provide niche for nitrogen fixation and secretions of substances capable of promoting the growth of plants. The microbes associated with plant as rhizospheric, endophytic and epiphytic with plant growth promoting (PGP) attributes have emerged as an important and promising tool for sustainable agriculture. PGP microbes promote plant growth directly or indirectly, either by releasing plant growth regulators; solubilization of phosphorus, potassium and zinc; biological nitrogen fixation or by producing siderophore, ammonia, HCN and other secondary metabolites which are antagonistic against pathogenic microbes. The PGP microbes belong to different phylum of archaea (Euryarchaeota); bacteria (Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Deinococcus-Thermus, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria) and fungi (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota), which include different genera namely Achromobacter, Arthrobacter, Aspergillus, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Bacillus, Beijerinckia, Burkholderia, Enterobacter, Erwinia, Flavobacterium, Gluconoacetobacter, Haloarcula, Herbaspirillum, Methylobacterium, Paenibacillus, Pantoea, Penicillium, Piriformospora, Planomonospora, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium, Serratia and Streptomyces. These PGP microbes could be used as biofertilizers/bioinoculants at place of chemical fertilizers for sustainable agriculture. The aim of “Plant Microbiomes for Sustainable Agriculture” is to provide the current developments in the understanding of microbial diversity associated with plant systems in the form of rhizospheric, endophytic and epiphytic. The book is useful to scientist, research and students related to microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, molecular biology, environmental biology and related subjects.

Book Endophytes for a Growing World

Download or read book Endophytes for a Growing World written by Trevor R. Hodkinson and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019-03-21 with total page 445 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discusses the role of endophytes in food security, forestry and health. It outlines their general biology, spanning theory to practice.

Book The Plant Microbiome

    Book Details:
  • Author : Lilia C. Carvalhais
  • Publisher : Humana
  • Release : 2020-11-08
  • ISBN : 9781071610398
  • Pages : 0 pages

Download or read book The Plant Microbiome written by Lilia C. Carvalhais and published by Humana. This book was released on 2020-11-08 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume provides methods, protocols, and reviews that are useful for new and experienced plant microbiome researchers. Chapters guide readers through the investigation of microbiomes associated with seeds, sampling microbiomes from plant compartments and tissues, culture-based methods, culture-independent metabarcoding methods, methods to obtain DNA and perform metabarcoding, protocols to block PCR amplification from the plant host, qPCR-based methods, editing of specific genes in Bacillus genomes, and Streptomycetes and plant microbial indicators. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, The Plant Microbiome: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

Book Microbial Inoculants in Sustainable Agricultural Productivity

Download or read book Microbial Inoculants in Sustainable Agricultural Productivity written by Dhananjaya Pratap Singh and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-03-23 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The performance of crops in the soil largely depends on the physico-chemical components of the soil, which regulate the availability of nutrients as well as abiotic and biotic stresses. Microbes are the integral component of any agricultural soil, playing a vital role in regulating the bioavailability of nutrients, the tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses and management of seed-borneand soil-borne plant diseases. The second volume of the book Microbial Inoculants in Sustainable Agricultural Productivity - Functional Applications reflects the pioneering efforts of eminent researchers to explore the functions of promising microbes as microbial inoculants, establish inoculants for field applications and promote corresponding knowledge among farming communities. In this volume, readers will find dedicated chapters on the role of microbes as biofertilizers and biopesticides in the improvement of crop plants, managing soil fertility and plant health, enhancing the efficiency of soil nutrients and establishing systemic phytopathogen resistance in plants, as well as managing various kinds of plant stress by applying microbial inoculants. The impact of microbial inoculants on the remediation of heavy metals, soil carbon sequestration, function of rhizosphere microbial communities and remediation of heavy metal contaminated agricultural soils is also covered in great detail. In this Volume, a major focus is on the approaches, strategies, advances and technologies used to develop suitable and sustainable delivery systems for microbial inoculants in field applications. Subsequent chapters investigate the role of nanomaterials in agriculture and the nanoparticle-mediated biocontrol of nematodes. An overview of the challenges facing the regulation and registration of biopesticides in India rounds out the coverage.

Book The Social Biology of Microbial Communities

Download or read book The Social Biology of Microbial Communities written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2013-01-10 with total page 633 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beginning with the germ theory of disease in the 19th century and extending through most of the 20th century, microbes were believed to live their lives as solitary, unicellular, disease-causing organisms . This perception stemmed from the focus of most investigators on organisms that could be grown in the laboratory as cellular monocultures, often dispersed in liquid, and under ambient conditions of temperature, lighting, and humidity. Most such inquiries were designed to identify microbial pathogens by satisfying Koch's postulates.3 This pathogen-centric approach to the study of microorganisms produced a metaphorical "war" against these microbial invaders waged with antibiotic therapies, while simultaneously obscuring the dynamic relationships that exist among and between host organisms and their associated microorganisms-only a tiny fraction of which act as pathogens. Despite their obvious importance, very little is actually known about the processes and factors that influence the assembly, function, and stability of microbial communities. Gaining this knowledge will require a seismic shift away from the study of individual microbes in isolation to inquiries into the nature of diverse and often complex microbial communities, the forces that shape them, and their relationships with other communities and organisms, including their multicellular hosts. On March 6 and 7, 2012, the Institute of Medicine's (IOM's) Forum on Microbial Threats hosted a public workshop to explore the emerging science of the "social biology" of microbial communities. Workshop presentations and discussions embraced a wide spectrum of topics, experimental systems, and theoretical perspectives representative of the current, multifaceted exploration of the microbial frontier. Participants discussed ecological, evolutionary, and genetic factors contributing to the assembly, function, and stability of microbial communities; how microbial communities adapt and respond to environmental stimuli; theoretical and experimental approaches to advance this nascent field; and potential applications of knowledge gained from the study of microbial communities for the improvement of human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health and toward a deeper understanding of microbial diversity and evolution. The Social Biology of Microbial Communities: Workshop Summary further explains the happenings of the workshop.