Intestinal Microorganisms of Termites and Other Invertebrates

ISBN-13: 9783642066382 / Angielski / Miękka / 2010 / 484 str.

Helmut Konig

Opis

Soil microorganisms play a major role in the degradation and recycling of organic material. Microbes are involved in the food web and strongly contribute to soil fertility. In the past, attention was mainly directed towards free-living or particle-bound microorganisms, while the role of intestinal microbes of soil animals has been neglected. For the first time, "Intestinal Microorganisms of Termites and Other Invertebrates" focuses on the microbes in gut systems of soil animals. It starts with a profound overview of the biology of soil invertebrates. A major part deals with the gut microbiota of termites, the best investigated gut system of invertebrates. Termites are important soil processors in tropical and subtropical regions. Insight is given into the intestinal microbiota of further relevant primary litter decomposers, such as earthworms, springtails, millipeds, and woodlice. Novel techniques for studying intestinal microbes complete the volume.

Spis treści

Soil Invertebrates.- Biology of Soil Invertebrates.- Interactions Between Bacteria and Nematodes.- Earthworm Gut Microbial Biomes: Their Importance to Soil Microorganisms, Denitrification, and the Terrestrial Production of the Greenhouse Gas N2O.- Intestinal Microbiota of Millipedes.- Intestinal Microbiota of Terrestrial Isopods.- Collembola as a Habitat for Microorganisms.- Methane Production by Terrestrial Arthropods.- Termites as Model Organisms.- Termites as Soil Engineers and Soil Processors.- Cellulose Digestion in the Termite Gut.- Symbiotic Protozoa of Termites.- Diversity and Lignocellulolytic Activities of Cultured Microorganisms.- Diversity and Molecular Analyses of Yet-Uncultivated Microorganisms.- The Intestinal Yeasts.- Termitomyces/Termite Interactions.- Microbiology of Termite Hill (Mound) and Soil.- The Termite Gut Habitat: Its Evolution and Co-Evolution.- Modern Methods for Studying Intestinal Methods.- The Microbial Soil Flora: Novel Approaches for Accessing the Phylogenetic and Physiological Diversity of Prokaryotes.- Micromanipulation Techniques for the Isolation of Single Microorganisms.- Localization and Visualization of Microbial Community Structure and Activity in Soil Microhabitats.- Microsensors for the Study of Microenvironments and Processes in the Intestine of Invertebrates.

O autorze

Helmut König, Professor für Politische Theorie und Ideengeschichte an der RWTH Aachen.