Notably, Woese's elucidation of the tree of life shows the overwhelming diversity of microbial lineages: single-celled organisms represent the vast majority of the biosphere's genetic, metabolic, and ecologic niche diversity. As microbes are crucial for many biogeochemical cycles and to the continued function of the biosphere, Woese's efforts to clarify the evolution and diversity of microbes provided an invaluable service to ecologists and conservationists. It was a major contribution to the theory of evolution and to our knowledge of the history of life.
notably woese's elucidation of the tree of life shows the overwhelming diversity of microbial lineages single-celled organisms represent the vast majority of the biosphere's genetic metabolic and ecologic niche diversity as microbes are crucial for many biogeochemical cycles and to the continued function of the biosphere woese's efforts to clarify the evolution and diversity of microbes provided an invaluable service to ecologists and conservationists it was a major contribution to the theory of evolution and to our knowledge of the history of life