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Perspectives for microbial community composition in anaerobic digestion: from abundance and activity to connectivity
Author(s) -
De Vrieze Jo,
Verstraete Willy
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.954
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1462-2920
pISSN - 1462-2912
DOI - 10.1111/1462-2920.13437
Subject(s) - biology , microbial population biology , quorum sensing , bioaugmentation , anaerobic digestion , anaerobic exercise , microbial ecology , metagenomics , digestion (alchemy) , ecology , microorganism , biochemical engineering , bacteria , methane , biochemistry , gene , biofilm , physiology , chemistry , genetics , chromatography , engineering
Summary Microbial management in anaerobic digestion is mainly focused on physically present and metabolically active species. Because of its complexity and operation near the thermodynamic equilibria, it is equally important to address functional regulation, based on spatial organisation and interspecies communication. Further establishment of the knowledge on microbial communication in anaerobic digestion through quorum sensing and nanowires is needed. Methods to detect centres of concentrated activity, related to the presence of highly active and well‐connected species that take a central role in the anaerobic digestion process, have to be optimized. Bioaugmentation could serve as a crucial tool to introduce keystone species that may create or sustain such centres. Functional stability can be maintained by keeping the microbial community active. This results in a clear trade‐off between functionally active and redundant microorganisms as primary basis for microbial community organization. Finally, a microbial community based prediction strategy for advanced process control is formulated.