Microbial Behavior in Porous Media: Hydrodynamics Control on Bacterial Chemotaxis and Biofilm Morphogenesis

Explore the intricate relationship between microbial behavior and porous media in this 53-minute lecture by Prof. Dr. Joaquin Jimenez-Martinez from PoreLab. Delve into the impact of hydrodynamics on bacterial chemotaxis and biofilm morphogenesis. Discover cutting-edge technologies developed to study microorganisms at both single-cell and community levels. Examine how nutrient hot spots affect chemotactic bacteria transport and how physical heterogeneity and fluid flow velocities influence bacterial collocation with nutrient sources. Uncover groundbreaking findings on biofilm formation in porous media, including the development of preferential flow paths and the intermittent opening and closing mechanism driven by microbial growth and shear-driven detachment. Gain insights into the newly characterized heterogeneity in biofilm permeability and its role in controlling dissolved chemical transport and biologically driven reactions.