Can the black box be cracked? The augmentation of microbial ecology by high-resolution, automated sensing technologies.
Automated sensing technologies, 'ASTs,' are tools that can monitor environmental or microbial-related variables at increasingly high temporal resolution. Microbial ecologists are poised to use AST data to couple microbial structure, function and associated environmental observations on temporal scales pertinent to microbial processes. In the context of aquatic microbiology, we discuss three applications of ASTs: windows on the microbial world, adaptive sampling and adaptive management. We challenge microbial ecologists to push AST potential in helping to reveal relationships between microbial structure and function.
Shade
Ashley
A
Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA. SHADE@WISC.EDU
Carey
Cayelan C
CC
Kara
Emily
E
Bertilsson
Stefan
S
McMahon
Katherine D
KD
Smith
Matthew C
MC
D001331:Automation / Q000379:methods; D044822:Biodiversity; D004463:Ecology / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014871:Water Microbiology