title: Finding the missing link between diversity and activity using denitrifying bacteria as a model functional community.
abstract: The recent development and application of numerous methods mainly based on 16S rDNA analyses have brought insights into the questions of which and how many bacterial populations can be found in a given ecosystem. A new and challenging question for microbial ecologists has emerged from the exploration of this diversity: what is its significance for ecosystem functioning? We propose the denitrifying bacteria as a model microbial community for understanding the relationship between community structure and activity, and have summarized the recent progress in studies of this functional community.
authors.affiliation: UMR Microbiologie et Géochimie des Sols, INRA-Université de Bourgogne, CMSE, 17, rue Sully, BV 86510, 21065 Dijon Cedex, France. philippo@dijon.inra.fr
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Philippot
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hallin
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D044822:Biodiversity; D017753:Ecosystem; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D009584:Nitrogen