Arthropod-Microbiota Integration: Its Importance for Ecosystem Conservation.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Microbiology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Global ecosystem health is declining, with biodiversity loss and altered biogeochemical cycles threatening species survival.
• Current conservation and restoration efforts are insufficient due to a lack of understanding of ecological processes.
• Biological interactions, particularly those involving microorganisms, are vital for ecosystem function and nutrient cycling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review emergent ecosystem properties derived from holobionts, focusing on detritivorous terrestrial arthropods and their symbiotic microorganisms.
• To highlight the role of holobionts in cycling recalcitrant organic compounds like lignin and cellulose.
• To propose the concept of the Ecosystem Holobiont (EH) as the fundamental functional unit for ecosystem processes.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of ecological interactions and nutrient cycling.
• Analysis of symbiotic associations between multicellular organisms and microorganisms.
• Synthesis of existing knowledge on holobiont functions in terrestrial ecosystems.

Main Results:

• Holobionts, especially detritivorous arthropods and their symbionts, play a critical role in decomposing recalcitrant organic matter.
• The concept of the Ecosystem Holobiont (EH) integrates the organism and its associates as a functional unit.
• The stability of EH associations is essential for maintaining key ecosystem processes.

Conclusions:

• The Ecosystem Holobiont (EH) is proposed as the functional unit responsible for key ecosystem processes, linking biodiversity and nutrient cycling.
• Restoring planetary health necessitates reducing anthropogenic pressures that disrupt EH stability and function.
• Understanding and conserving holobiont-driven ecosystem functions is critical for ecological restoration.