Open AccessHigher-order effects, continuous species interactions, and trait evolution shape microbial spatial dynamics
Author(s) -
Anshuman Swain,
Levi Fussell,
William F. Fagan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2020956119
Subject(s) - biology , dominance (genetics) , trait , ecology , community structure , pairwise comparison , disturbance (geology) , evolutionary biology , genetics , computer science , gene , paleontology , artificial intelligence , programming language
Significance Persistently diverse microbial communities are one of biology’s great puzzles. Using a modeling framework that accommodates high mutation rates and a continuum of species traits, we studied microbial communities in which antagonistic interactions occur via the production of, inhibition of, and vulnerability to toxins (e.g., antibiotics). Mutation size and mobility enhanced microbial diversity and temporal persistence to extraordinarily high levels. These findings—including the discovery that the duration of the transient phase in community assembly provides a guide to equilibrial diversity—highlight the potentially critical role that antagonistic interactions play in promoting the diversity of bacterial systems. Such interactions, together with resource-driven interactions and spatial structure, may drive the enigmatic levels of biodiversity seen in microbial systems.