Community history affects the predictability of microbial ecosystem development

Area of Science:

• Microbial ecology
• Ecosystem assembly
• Biogeochemical processes

Background:

• Microbial communities are vital for numerous processes, but their assembly and predictability remain poorly understood.
• Conflicting evidence exists on whether microbial ecosystem assembly is predictable or inherently unpredictable.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the predictability of microbial community assembly in a controlled laboratory setting.
• To determine factors influencing the reproducibility of microbial ecosystem development.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a well-controlled laboratory model system.
• Introduced source microbial communities to a pristine environment.
• Measured final community composition and function (redox potential).
• Compared community development in novel versus pre-conditioned environments.

Main Results:

• Community composition and function were unpredictable when colonizing a novel environment.
• A signature of the source community's history was maintained.
• Pre-conditioning source communities to the new habitat led to more reproducible community development.
• Results contrast with macro-organism studies, suggesting a role for the microbial rare biosphere.

Conclusions:

• Microbial community assembly in novel environments is unpredictable, but pre-conditioning enhances reproducibility.
• The microbial rare biosphere may influence predictability.
• Pre-conditioning strategies can improve the design of microbial communities for biotechnological applications.