Microbial Symbiosis: Patterns of Diversity in the Marine Environment
Open Access
- 1 February 1994
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in American Zoologist
- Vol. 34 (1) , 79-89
- https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/34.1.79
Abstract
SYNOPSIS. Symbiotic associations expand both the diversity of potential ecological niches and metabolic capabilities of the host—symbiont combinations. Symbioses can also be considered to have evolutionary potential in that the partnership can result in a “new organism.” Associations between chemoautotrophic bacteria and marine invertebrates, discovered only 10 years ago, are now found widely in nature, in habitats ranging from deep-sea hydrothermal vents to coastal sediments. Here I review chemoautotroph—invertebrate associations and discuss the benefits inferred for both partners with regard to the diversity of these symbioses in nature.Keywords
This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: