Microbial Ecology of Termite Guts

The associations of insects with microorganisms are often related to a nutrient-poor or recalcitrant diet. There are many indications that the symbionts provide metabolic capacities unavailable to the host. The gut microbiota of termites is involved in cellulose degradation and plays important roles in further digestion and in the nitrogen budget. The highly structured microbial communities are also excellent model systems for the investigation of fundamental problems in microbial ecology.