Random sampling process leads to overestimation of β-diversity of microbial communities.

ABSTRACT: The site-to-site variability in species composition, known as β-diversity, is crucial to understanding spatiotemporal patterns of species diversity and the mechanisms controlling community composition and structure. However, quantifying β-diversity in microbial ecology using sequencing-based technologies is a great challenge because of a high number of sequencing errors, bias, and poor reproducibility and quantification. Herein, based on general sampling theory, a mathematical framework is first developed for simulating the effects of random sampling processes on quantifying β-diversity when the community size is known or unknown. Also, using an analogous ball example under Poisson sampling with limited sampling efforts, the developed mathematical framework can exactly predict the low repr

SUBMITTER: Zhou J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3684833 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature