Lotka-Volterra pairwise modeling fails to capture diverse pairwise microbial interactions.

ABSTRACT: Pairwise models are commonly used to describe many-species communities. In these models, an individual receives additive fitness effects from pairwise interactions with each species in the community ('additivity assumption'). All pairwise interactions are typically represented by a single equation where parameters reflect signs and strengths of fitness effects ('universality assumption'). Here, we show that a single equation fails to qualitatively capture diverse pairwise microbial interactions. We build mechanistic reference models for two microbial species engaging in commonly-found chemical-mediated interactions, and attempt to derive pairwise models. Different equations are appropriate depending on whether a mediator is consumable or reusable, whether an interaction is mediated by one

SUBMITTER: Momeni B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5469619 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature