Diversity-triggered deterministic bacterial assembly constrains community functions

A growing body of evidence suggests that microbial α-diversity (local species richness) may have positive effects on ecosystem function. However, less attention has been paid to β-diversity (the variation among local microbial assemblages). Here we studied the impact of microbial α-diversity on stochastic/deterministic microbial community assembly processes, which are related to β-diversity, and the consequences for community function. Bacterial communities differing in α-diversity were generated and their structures and potential community functional traits were inferred from DNA sequencing. Phylogenetic null modeling analysis suggests that stochastic assembly processes are dominant in high-diversity…

• NC
  North Carolina State University
• UU
  Universiteit Utrecht
• CP
  China Postdoctoral Science Foundation

  Award: 2018QNRC001
• CA
  Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Awards: 2015CB150500, 2018QNRC001
• FR
  Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities

  Awards: KJQN201748, 2018QNRC001