 Microbial dark matter

Microbial dark matter refers to the vast and largely unexplored diversity of microorganisms that exist in various environmental habitats but remain largely uncultivated and uncharacterized in laboratories. This term emphasizes the fact that, while we have a substantial understanding of certain microbial species, the majority of microbial diversity, particularly those that cannot be cultured using standard laboratory techniques, remains poorly defined in terms of taxonomy, function, and ecological roles.