Positive effects of bacterial diversity on ecosystem functioning driven by complementarity effects in a bioremediation context.

ABSTRACT: Despite their importance as ecosystem drivers, our understanding of the influence of bacterial diversity on ecosystem functioning is limited. After identifying twelve bacterial strains from two petroleum-contaminated sites, we experimentally explored the impact of biodiversity on total density by manipulating the number of strains in culture. Irrespective of the origin of the bacteria relative to the contaminant, biodiversity positively influenced total density. However, bacteria cultured in the crude oil of their origin (autochthonous) reached higher densities than bacteria from another origin (allochthonous) and the relationship between diversity and density was stronger for autochthonous bacteria. By measuring the relative contribution of each strain to total density we showed that the

SUBMITTER: Venail PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3762786 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature