How can bacteria that forage on organic particles survive in vast ocean regions where such particles are extremely sparse? A new study by researchers from ETH Zurich and Queen Mary University of London shows that variability at the level of individual bacteria plays a central role. Using a probabilistic population model linking mathematics and microbiology, the team demonstrates that rare, high-impact encounters sustain bacterial populations even when average conditions suggest decline. The paper is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

How can bacteria that forage on organic particles survive in vast ocean regions where such particles are extremely sparse? A new study by researchers from ETH Zurich and Queen Mary University of London shows that variability at the level of individual bacteria plays a central role. Using a probabilistic population model linking mathematics and microbiology, the team demonstrates that rare, high-impact encounters sustain bacterial populations even when average conditions suggest decline. The paper is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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