Small Matters: Microbes and Their Role in Conservation
The Center for Biodiversity and Conservation’s Twelfth Annual Symposium
American Museum of Natural History
April 26 and 27, 2007

Symposium Theme
Microscopic organisms—including viruses, bacteria, archaea, and single-celled eukaryotic organisms—comprise the vast majority of life on the planet, yet startling little is known about their true diversity and the multitudinous roles that they play in the ecosphere. The knowledge that we do have tends to come from either those organisms that can be cultured in the laboratory (estimated to be <1% of all species) or those that make us or other organisms that are important to us sick. The revolution of using DNA sequences to discover and describe microbial diversity has drastically altered our view of the microbial world and its players, however. Less than two decades ago, using ribosomal RNA gene sequences, Carl Woese and colleagues proposed an entirely new classification of life, that of three domains of organisms–Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya–in opposition to the traditional five-kingdom schema. Now, new biochemical processes, including new forms of photosynthesis and even electricity-generating bacteria are being discovered as culture-independent and broader explorations into new habitats are performed. Yet, at the same time that we begin to uncover new hidden potential benefits of microorganisms, the news is also replete with stories of so-called emergent diseases that threaten humans as well as other organisms on the planet.

This symposium brought together a diverse group of microbiologists and conservation biologists to explore this intersection of two fields that, until now, has not been considered in depth. We addressed the broad questions of: How much microbial diversity is there on the planet? How does this diversity affect other organisms, both positively and negatively? How should conservation practices take microbial life into account?

Audience: This symposium brought together scientists from the traditionally disparate fields of microbiology and conservation, including biogeochemists, marine microbiologists, disease ecologists, and microbial systematists. as well as conservation practitioners, wildlife managers, policy makers, educators, students, and interested members of the general public. READ AUDIENCE RESPONSES.

There was a live Webcast of the symposium’s seven keynote addresses. The Webcasts have been archived as QuickTime™ movies, for downloading or on-line viewing, along with the symposium presentation audio which have been posted as downloadable MP3 podcasts.

Symposium artwork by: James Lui

Copyright © 2007, American Museum of Natural History