Open AccessCell size, genome size, and maximum growth rate are near‐independent dimensions of ecological variation across bacteria and archaea
Author(s) -
Westoby Mark,
Nielsen Daniel Aagren,
Gillings Michael R.,
Litchman Elena,
Madin Joshua S.,
Paulsen Ian T.,
Tetu Sasha G.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.17
H-Index - 63
ISSN - 2045-7758
DOI - 10.1002/ece3.7290
Subject(s) - biology , genome size , archaea , growth rate , cell size , ecology , habitat , genome , variation (astronomy) , evolutionary biology , bacteria , gene , genetics , physics , geometry , mathematics , astrophysics , microbiology and biotechnology
Among bacteria and archaea, maximum relative growth rate, cell diameter, and genome size are widely regarded as important influences on ecological strategy. Via the most extensive data compilation so far for these traits across all clades and habitats, we ask whether they are correlated and if so how. Overall, we found little correlation among them, indicating they should be considered as independent dimensions of ecological variation. Nor was correlation evident within particular habitat types. A weak nonlinearity (6% of variance) was found whereby high maximum growth rates (temperature‐adjusted) tended to occur in the midrange of cell diameters. Species identified in the literature as oligotrophs or copiotrophs were clearly separated on the dimension of maximum growth rate, but not on the dimensions of genome size or cell diameter.