Compost spatial heterogeneity promotes evolutionary diversification of a bacterium.

ABSTRACT: Spatial resource heterogeneity is expected to be a key driver for the evolution of diversity. However, direct empirical support for this prediction is limited to studies carried out in simplified laboratory environments. Here, we investigate how altering spatial heterogeneity of potting compost-by the addition of water and mixing-affects the evolutionary diversification of a bacterial species, Pseudomonas fluorescens, that is naturally found in the environment. There was a greater propensity of resource specialists to evolve in the unmanipulated compost, while more generalist phenotypes dominated the compost-water mix. Genomic data were consistent with these phenotypic findings. Competition experiments strongly suggest these results are due to diversifying selection as a result of resource

SUBMITTER: van Houte S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7984246 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature