Where less may be more: how the rare biosphere pulls ecosystems strings

Rare species are increasingly recognized as crucial, yet vulnerable components of Earth's ecosystems. This is also true for microbial communities, which are typically composed of a high number of relatively rare species. Recent studies have demonstrated that rare species can have an over-proportional role in biogeochemical cycles and may be a hidden driver of microbiome function. In this review, we provide an ecological overview of the rare microbial biosphere, including causes of rarity and the impacts of rare species on ecosystem functioning. We discuss how rare species can have a preponderant role for local biodiversity and species turnover with rarity potentially bound to phylogenetically conserved…

• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Awards: FZT 118, DFG FZT 118
• DZ
  Deutsches Zentrum für integrative Biodiversitätsforschung Halle-Jena-Leipzig

  Awards: DFG FZT 118, FZT 118