•  All endospore-forming bacteria are ecologically related because they are
                                         found in nature, primarily in the soil.  The soil can be a highly variable
                                         environment in terms of nutrient levels, water availability and temperature;
                                         therefore, the ability to produce endospores is advantageous to soil microbes.

                             •  Many endospore-formers produce antibiotics.  In most cases, the production
                                         of antibiotics is related to the sporulation process.

                             •  A few species of Bacillusproduce insect larvicides.  The larvicides produced
                                         by various Bacillus species affect a wide range of insect larvae, including
                                         tent caterpillar larvae, Japanese beetle larvae, silkworm larvae, cabbage
                                         worm larvae, gypsy moth larvae, mosquito larvae, black fly larvae, etc.

                             •  Clostridium tetani is normally a soil microbe, but it is also able to grow in
                                         the body in deep wound punctures that become anoxic.  In this environment,
                                         they produce tetanus toxin, which is spread through neural cells, causing the
                                         disease known as tetanus.  This disease involves spastic paralysis and can result
                                         in death.

                             •  Clostridium botulinum is normally a soil microbe, but it can also grow and
                                         produce botulinum toxin in improperly preserved foods.  The consumption
                                         of botulinum toxin results in botulism, which can result in death due to
                                         respiratory failure from flacid muscle paralysis.

                             •  Clostridium perfringens is the most prevalent reported cause of food poisoning
                                         in the United States.  Food poisoning from C. perfringens is a result of the
                                         consumption of large numbers of these microbes, which subsequently produce
                                         enterotoxins in the intestines.  This results in typical food poisoning symptoms,
                                         including diarrhea and intestinal cramps with no fever or vomiting.

                             •  Various endospore-formers are candidates for use as biological warfare agents,
                                         including Bacillus anthracis (the causal agent of anthrax) and C. botulinum.