biostudies-literatureRuan CNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaEawag Discretionary Funds, Category: SEED2115 Talent Development Program of China Agricultural University Scholarship of the ‘National Thousand (Young) Talents Program’ of ChinaNational Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)54https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9723580biostudies-literatureUnknown1(1)Conjugative plasmids bestow important traits to microbial communities, such as virulence, antibiotic resistance, pollutant biotransformation, and biotechnology-relevant functions. While the biological mechanisms and determinants of plasmid conjugation are well established, the underlying physical and ecological driving forces remain unclear. Microbial communities often inhabit unsaturated environments, such as soils and host surfaces (e.g., skin, teeth, leaves, roots), where water evaporation and associated small-scale hydrodynamic processes frequently occur at numerous air-water and solid-water interfaces. Here, we hypothesized that evaporation can induce water flows with profound effects on the spatial distribution and surface deposition of cells, and consequently on the extent of plasmiISME communicationsEvaporation-induced hydrodynamics promote conjugation-mediated plasmid transfer in microbial populations.PMC972358041877412Ramoneda JRuan CChen GWang GJohnson DRfalseEvaporation-induced hydrodynamics promote conjugation-mediated plasmid transfer in microbial populations.Conjugative plasmids bestow important traits to microbial communities, such as virulence, antibiotic resistance, pollutant biotransformation, and biotechnology-relevant functions. While the biological mechanisms and determinants of plasmid conjugation are well established, the underlying physical and ecological driving forces remain unclear. Microbial communities often inhabit unsaturated environments, such as soils and host surfaces (e.g., skin, teeth, leaves, roots), where water evaporation and associated small-scale hydrodynamic processes frequently occur at numerous air-water and solid-water interfaces. Here, we hypothesized that evaporation can induce water flows with profound effects on the spatial distribution and surface deposition of cells, and consequently on the extent of plasmi2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Oct2025-04-19T18:59:39.74Z2025-04-19T18:59:39.74ZS-EPMC97235803793862110.1038/s43705-021-00057-5