Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is arguably the most conspicuous feature of bacterial
evolution. Evidence for HGT is found in most bacterial genomes. Although HGT can …

Recent advances in studying the dynamics of marine microbial communities have shown
that the composition of these communities follows predictable patterns and involves complex …

There has recently been a surge of literature examining microbial invasions into a variety of
environments. These studies often include a component of biological diversity as a major …

SAR11 is a group of small, carbon-oxidizing bacteria that reach a global estimated
population size of 2.4× 1028 cells—approximately 25% of all plankton. They are found …

Horizontal genetic transfer (HGT) has played an important role in bacterial evolution at least
since the origins of the bacterial divisions, and HGT still facilitates the origins of bacterial …

Genetic exchange is common among bacteria, but its effect on population diversity during
ecological differentiation remains controversial. A fundamental question is whether …

The study of elevational diversity gradients dates back to the foundation of biogeography.
Although elevational patterns of plant and animal diversity have been studied for centuries …

The species is a fundamental unit of biological organization, but its relevance for Bacteria
and Archaea is still hotly debated. Even more controversial is whether the deeper branches …

Diversity begets higher-order properties such as functional stability and robustness in
microbial communities, but principles that inform conceptual (and eventually predictive) …

Multiple models describe the formation and evolution of distinct microbial phylogenetic
groups. These evolutionary models make different predictions regarding how adaptive …