Molecular biology: new tools for studying microbial ecology.

The general aim of studies in microbial ecology is to determine the activities of particular groups of organisms in the natural environment. Current developments in molecular biology are providing methods that can be adopted for investigations in microbial ecology. Presently, molecular techniques are being used to determine population and community structures in samples. Following on from this, methods are needed to determine the activities of these organisms in their natural state. This review describes the application of molecular techniques to the study of micro-organisms in environmental samples.