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The Ecology of Mycobacteria: Impact on Animal's and Human's Health pp 81–87Cite as

Physiological Ecology of Environmental Saprophytic and Potentially Pathogenic Mycobacteria

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Physiological ecology refers to the study and identification of the physiological features of the environmental saprophytic and potentially pathogenic mycobacteria that are determinants of its regional and local distribution, its ecology. Although mycobacteria are slow growing relative to most other environmental micro-organisms, they persist in a number of habitats where suspended micro-organisms would be washed away. Furthermore, mycobacteria are found in habitats where there is reduced competition for nutrients and other micro-organisms, because of the physiochemical conditions and absence of readily degraded nutrients.

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  1. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA

    J.O. Falkinham III

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Correspondence to J.O. Falkinham III .

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Falkinham, J. (2009). Physiological Ecology of Environmental Saprophytic and Potentially Pathogenic Mycobacteria. In: The Ecology of Mycobacteria: Impact on Animal's and Human's Health. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9413-2_4

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