Tiny fighters in sediments determine success of invasive marine plants

(University of New South Wales) Armies of microbes that are invisible to the naked eye battle it out to determine whether exotic marine plants successfully invade new territory and replace native species, UNSW Sydney-led research shows. The genetic study, which compared microbial communities in sediments associated with an invasive alga and a native seagrass, is the first to test the idea that marine microbes play a critical role in the establishment of invasive marine species.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: news