Mark-recapture of microorganisms.

Abstract

Fundamental questions in ecology and evolution require the quantitative tracking of individuals across space and time. For more than a century, mark-recapture techniques have been used to estimate demographic events and population dynamics of animal and plant species. Recent developments in molecular barcoding allow for the monitoring of microorganisms while meeting many of the key assumptions of traditional mark-recapture studies. Beyond applications related to the biosecurity of human pathogens, molecular barcoding is emerging as a cost-effective, versatile, and scalable tool to quantify species interactions, biogeographic ranges, and evolutionary dynamics in simple and complex communities. Although there are logistical and ethical issues related to the release of barcoded organisms, mark-recapture provides opportunities to test theory and better understand the evolutionary ecology of microorganisms in the wild.