microbial-communities
Microbial communities are complex assemblages of microorganisms that coexist and interact within shared environments. In plant science, these communities—encompassing soil microbiota, root-associated microbes, and plant-internal organisms—are essential for understanding plant nutrition, disease suppression, stress tolerance, and overall fitness. Research into plant-associated microbial communities has become fundamental to advancing sustainable agriculture and predicting how plants respond to changing environmental conditions.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-02-18
Natural biofilms made of microorganisms and algae can effectively clean polluted water by breaking down and absorbing contaminants, offering an inexpensive, nature-based solution for restoring contaminated rivers and water systems.
Periphytic biofilms can remove contaminants even at very low concentrations due to their extensive adhesion to solid surfaces in water systems
Biofilms employ multiple contaminant removal mechanisms including sorption, bioaccumulation, biodegradation, and biotransformation
These biofilms simultaneously support river ecosystem health through carbon and nutrient cycling while performing self-purification functions