Research Product

Assessment of potential impacts on community function can be made using a variety of processes, but time and financial constraints require that effects on only a few processes can be evaluated. The importance of the process, the ability to detect small perturbations, reproducibility, and duration and cost of the evaluation are important considerations in selecting the functions to be tested. The suitability of the test in microcosms for field validation is of great concern. Examples will be cited of responses to stress of functions of terrestrial microbial communities, with particular emphasis to available information on known perturbations. Examples of the resilence of such communities as well as long-term consequences will be considered.