ABSTRACT
Thus far, most of the effects that biofilm structure has on biofilm processes are hypothetical, and they will remain hypothetical until tools are developed to quantify biofilm structure and to correlate the structure with the intensity of the processes the structure allegedly influences or reflects. Quantifying the relationships between biofilm structure and biofilm processes will open new avenues in biofilm research, as biofilm structure not only affects biofilm processes but is also a testimony to the history of a biofilm and can be used to determine the past events that occurred during its formation. For example, it is known that biofilms grown at high shear stress develop elongated microcolonies. It is also known that dense biofilms develop either as a result of high shear stress or as a result of starvation. Therefore, if a biofilm researcher samples an unknown biofilm having high density, the shape of the microcolonies may tell whether the density increased as a result of starvation or as a result of exposure to a high shear stress.
