GovWire

This project explored whether ecological network science could help the Environment Agency understand the role microbial communities play in English river ecosystems.

Ecological network science considers interactions between organisms and the resulting networks that form. Recommendations from three leading academics describe how this approach could help determine how microbial communities are structured and how species interact with each other. This has potential to improve our understanding of how ecosystems function. However, challenges must be overcome for it to be used in practice.