Marine biofilms: Bacterial diversity and dynamics

초록

Marine environment is home to a diverse range of prokaryotic cells, particularly bacteria that serve as a foundation for the ecosystem’s functioning. Bacteria have evolved a clever form of life called biofilms, which support essential ecological and biogeochemical activities in the changing marine environment. Bacteria are protected from the environmental stress in these biofilms by a matrix of extracellular polymeric molecules. They compete, cooperate, and communicate with each other to establish a biofilm. Bacterial populations colonizing submerged substrata act as a base for the development of complicated biofouling phenomena in the marine environment. Biofouling and biocorrosion are the major detrimental impacts of microbial biofilms that lead to several economic implications. In this chapter, the advantages of bacterial cells to live in biofilms, their diversity, dynamics, and economic implications are discussed. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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