Ecological succession and the competition-colonization trade-off in microbial communities
Abstract Background During range expansion in spatially distributed habitats, organisms differ from one another in terms of their patterns of localization versus propagation. To exploit locations or explore the landscape? This is the competition-colonization trade-off, a dichotomy at the core of eco...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01462-5 |
| _version_ | 1811310768654647296 |
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| author | Miles T. Wetherington Krisztina Nagy László Dér Ágnes Ábrahám Janneke Noorlag Peter Galajda Juan E. Keymer |
| author_facet | Miles T. Wetherington Krisztina Nagy László Dér Ágnes Ábrahám Janneke Noorlag Peter Galajda Juan E. Keymer |
| author_sort | Miles T. Wetherington |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background During range expansion in spatially distributed habitats, organisms differ from one another in terms of their patterns of localization versus propagation. To exploit locations or explore the landscape? This is the competition-colonization trade-off, a dichotomy at the core of ecological succession. In bacterial communities, this trade-off is a fundamental mechanism towards understanding spatio-temporal fluxes in microbiome composition. Results Using microfluidics devices as structured bacterial habitats, we show that, in a synthetic two-species community of motile strains, Escherichia coli is a fugitive species, whereas Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a slower colonizer but superior competitor. We provide evidence highlighting the role of succession and the relevance of this trade-off in the community assembly of bacteria in spatially distributed patchy landscapes. Furthermore, aggregation-dependent priority effects enhance coexistence which is not possible in well-mixed environments. Conclusions Our findings underscore the interplay between micron-scale landscape structure and dispersal in shaping biodiversity patterns in microbial ecosystems. Understanding this interplay is key to unleash the technological revolution of microbiome applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T10:06:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-27be3bcf02274885b840410d35bea152 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1741-7007 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T10:06:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-27be3bcf02274885b840410d35bea1522022-12-22T02:51:05ZengBMCBMC Biology1741-70072022-11-0120111410.1186/s12915-022-01462-5Ecological succession and the competition-colonization trade-off in microbial communitiesMiles T. Wetherington0Krisztina Nagy1László Dér2Ágnes Ábrahám3Janneke Noorlag4Peter Galajda5Juan E. Keymer6Department of Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, P. Catholic University of ChileBiological Research Centre, Institute of BiophysicsBiological Research Centre, Institute of BiophysicsBiological Research Centre, Institute of BiophysicsDepartment of Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, P. Catholic University of ChileBiological Research Centre, Institute of BiophysicsDepartment of Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, P. Catholic University of ChileAbstract Background During range expansion in spatially distributed habitats, organisms differ from one another in terms of their patterns of localization versus propagation. To exploit locations or explore the landscape? This is the competition-colonization trade-off, a dichotomy at the core of ecological succession. In bacterial communities, this trade-off is a fundamental mechanism towards understanding spatio-temporal fluxes in microbiome composition. Results Using microfluidics devices as structured bacterial habitats, we show that, in a synthetic two-species community of motile strains, Escherichia coli is a fugitive species, whereas Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a slower colonizer but superior competitor. We provide evidence highlighting the role of succession and the relevance of this trade-off in the community assembly of bacteria in spatially distributed patchy landscapes. Furthermore, aggregation-dependent priority effects enhance coexistence which is not possible in well-mixed environments. Conclusions Our findings underscore the interplay between micron-scale landscape structure and dispersal in shaping biodiversity patterns in microbial ecosystems. Understanding this interplay is key to unleash the technological revolution of microbiome applications.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01462-5Ecological successionCompetition-colonization trade-offMicrobial landscape ecologyMetacommunitiesMicrofluidics |
| spellingShingle | Miles T. Wetherington Krisztina Nagy László Dér Ágnes Ábrahám Janneke Noorlag Peter Galajda Juan E. Keymer Ecological succession and the competition-colonization trade-off in microbial communities BMC Biology Ecological succession Competition-colonization trade-off Microbial landscape ecology Metacommunities Microfluidics |
| title | Ecological succession and the competition-colonization trade-off in microbial communities |
| title_full | Ecological succession and the competition-colonization trade-off in microbial communities |
| title_fullStr | Ecological succession and the competition-colonization trade-off in microbial communities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ecological succession and the competition-colonization trade-off in microbial communities |
| title_short | Ecological succession and the competition-colonization trade-off in microbial communities |
| title_sort | ecological succession and the competition colonization trade off in microbial communities |
| topic | Ecological succession Competition-colonization trade-off Microbial landscape ecology Metacommunities Microfluidics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01462-5 |
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