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Macroecology for microbiology
Author(s) -
Len Jay T.,
Locey Kenneth J.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
environmental microbiology reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.229
H-Index - 69
ISSN - 1758-2229
DOI - 10.1111/1758-2229.12512
Subject(s) - macroecology , ecology , biogeography , biological dispersal , biodiversity , community , biology , biodiversity hotspot , beta diversity , relative abundance distribution , abundance (ecology) , relative species abundance , geography , ecosystem , population , demography , sociology
To microbiologists, the term macroecology may conjure iconic images of wildebeests grazing in African savannahs or hummingbirds pollinating flowers in a tropical rain forest. Contrary to what the name implies, macroecology is not the ecological study of macroscopic organisms. Rather, macroecology is the study of ecological relationships through patterns in abundance, distribution, and diversity. In this paper, we highlight some of the pressing questions, challenges, and opportunities for microbial macroecology.