Spatiotemporal disturbance characteristics determine functional stability and collapse risk of simulated microbial ecosystems.

ABSTRACT: Terrestrial microbial ecosystems are exposed to many types of disturbances varying in their spatial and temporal characteristics. The ability to cope with these disturbances is crucial for maintaining microbial ecosystem functions, especially if disturbances recur regularly. Thus, understanding microbial ecosystem dynamics under recurrent disturbances and identifying drivers of functional stability and thresholds for functional collapse is important. Using a spatially explicit ecological model of bacterial growth, dispersal, and substrate consumption, we simulated spatially heterogeneous recurrent disturbances and investigated the dynamic response of pollutant biodegradation - exemplarily for an important ecosystem function. We found that thresholds for functional collapse are controlled b

SUBMITTER: Konig S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6015006 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature