Biotic Interactions Are More Important than Propagule Pressure in Microbial Community Invasions.

ABSTRACT: Microbial probiotics are intended to improve functions in diverse ecosystems, yet probiotics often fail to establish in a preexisting microbiome. This is a species invasion problem. The relative importance of the two major factors controlling establishment in this context-propagule pressure (inoculation dose and frequency) and biotic interactions (composition of introduced and resident communities)-is unknown. We tested the effect of these factors in driving microbial composition and functioning following 12 microbial community invasions (e.g., introductions of many microbial invaders) in microcosms. Ecosystem functioning over a 30-day postinvasion period was assessed by measuring activity (respiration) and environment modification (dissolved organic carbon abundance). To test the dependen

SUBMITTER: Albright MBN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7593967 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature