ABSTRACT
The relationships between microorganisms in the environment constitute a considerable part of the functioning of the local ecosystem. Positive and negative interactions between microorganisms affect the biogeochemistry of the site, which impacts the physicochemical characteristics of the soil. In recent years, aspects of associations between distinct populations of microorganisms in soil, especially bacteria, have attracted the attention of biogeochemical studies. The fate of petroleum compounds present in a soil disturbed by its pollution has been the scene of different studies on the networks involved in its use by the local microbial community. Efforts to identify key species and describe co-occurrences of oil-degrading species have allowed a better understanding of the bioremediation process in contaminated soils. Sequencing techniques from environmental samples combined with multivariate statistical analyses have been employed in the design of a detailed overview of the course of bioremediation. This chapter describes the most current and relevant studies of co-occurrence and network of bacteria in bioremediation processes in soils contaminated by petroleum compounds.
