waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
A group put out an interesting report recently that many types of bacteria can individually produce two different types of biofilm. I read this in several places but will put a link in this post. Basically they found that bacteria that do this produce a main biofilm, their predominant one, that is very resistant to outside things but that a smaller subset of the cells of the colony will produce a biofilm that is outwardly similar to the predominant biofilm but is not as resistant to things, has a completely different signalling pathway going and is involved in reproduction.
I'll try to place the link here.
I have no idea whether the autotrophs that play a big role in our filters fall in to this category (probably no one knows, given that the above is new research) but I find it always interesting and enlightening to learn aspects of biology that help us understand the complexities of what we are dealing with in nature and in our tanks. As usual, the researchers attention is mostly on human medical issues but assuming this work continues to hold up with further research it has profound implications for people who deal with bacteria and biofilms. Researchers must now ask themselves whether a particular species does this and if they are studying biofilms, which one they are dealing with. Observations about biofilms by scientists may gain a new twist if they are to be understood correctly.
Anyway, thought a few of you might enjoy thinking about this.
~~waterdrop~~
I'll try to place the link here.
I have no idea whether the autotrophs that play a big role in our filters fall in to this category (probably no one knows, given that the above is new research) but I find it always interesting and enlightening to learn aspects of biology that help us understand the complexities of what we are dealing with in nature and in our tanks. As usual, the researchers attention is mostly on human medical issues but assuming this work continues to hold up with further research it has profound implications for people who deal with bacteria and biofilms. Researchers must now ask themselves whether a particular species does this and if they are studying biofilms, which one they are dealing with. Observations about biofilms by scientists may gain a new twist if they are to be understood correctly.
Anyway, thought a few of you might enjoy thinking about this.
~~waterdrop~~