Mcgraw Hill Connect Microbiology Exam 1 Practice Test

Detachment to start new communities is dispersal. In a biofilm, cells first attach to a surface and grow into a mature, matrix-encased structure. When conditions change—nutrient limits, crowding, or signaling cues—cells break away as planktonic cells or small clusters to colonize new surfaces. This dispersal step is distinct from attachment (the initial sticking) and maturation (development of the structured biofilm). While colonization can describe the act of establishing on a surface, the specific stage that enables spread to new locations is dispersal.