title: Biodiversity, community structure and function of biofilms in stream ecosystems.
abstract: Multi-species, surface-attached biofilms often dominate microbial life in streams and rivers, where they contribute substantially to biogeochemical processes. The microbial diversity of natural biofilms is huge, and may have important implications for the functioning of aquatic environments and the ecosystem services they provide. Yet the causes and consequences of biofilm biodiversity remain insufficiently understood. This review aims to give an overview of current knowledge on the distribution of stream biofilm biodiversity, the mechanisms generating biodiversity patterns and the relationship between biofilm biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Rankine Building, Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LT, United Kingdom; Department of Limnology and Bio-Oceanography, University of Vienna, Vienna Ecology Center, Althanstraße 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: katharina.besemer@univie.ac.at.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Besemer
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D017753:Ecosystem; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D045483:Rivers / Q000382:microbiology*; D014871:Water Microbiology
keywords: Biofilm; Microbial diversity; Microbial ecology; Stream ecosystems