Soil microorganisms play a major role in the degradation and recycling of organic material. Microbes are involved in the food web and strongly contribute to soil fertility. In the past, attention was mainly directed towards free-living or particle-bound microorganisms, while the role of intestinal microbes of soil animals has been neglected.

For the first time, "Intestinal Microorganisms of Termites and Other Invertebrates" focuses on the microbes in gut systems of soil animals. It starts with a profound overview of the biology of soil invertebrates. A major part deals with the gut microbiota of termites, the best investigated gut system of invertebrates. Termites are important soil processors in tropical and subtropical regions. Insight is given into the intestinal microbiota of further relevant primary litter decomposers, such as earthworms, springtails, millipeds, and woodlice. Novel techniques for studying intestinal microbes complete the volume.

Soil Invertebrates

Biology of Soil Invertebrates
Interactions Between Bacteria and Nematodes
Earthworm Gut Microbial Biomes: Their Importance to Soil Microorganisms, Denitrification, and the Terrestrial Production of the Greenhouse Gas N2O
Intestinal Microbiota of Millipedes
Intestinal Microbiota of Terrestrial Isopods
Collembola as a Habitat for Microorganisms
Methane Production by Terrestrial Arthropods
Termites as Model Organisms
Termites as Soil Engineers and Soil Processors
Cellulose Digestion in the Termite Gut
Symbiotic Protozoa of Termites
Diversity and Lignocellulolytic Activities of Cultured Microorganisms
Diversity and Molecular Analyses of Yet-Uncultivated Microorganisms
The Intestinal Yeasts
Termitomyces/Termite Interactions
Microbiology of Termite Hill (Mound) and Soil
The Termite Gut Habitat: Its Evolution and Co-Evolution
Modern Methods for Studying Intestinal Methods
The Microbial Soil Flora: Novel Approaches for Accessing the Phylogenetic and Physiological Diversity of Prokaryotes
Micromanipulation Techniques for the Isolation of Single Microorganisms
Localization and Visualization of Microbial Community Structure and Activity in Soil Microhabitats
Microsensors for the Study of Microenvironments and Processes in the Intestine of Invertebrates.