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Predator-mediated local convergence fosters global microbial community divergence
Rasit Asiloglu1, Hayato Kuno2, Mayu Fujino2
1Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan. asiloglu@agr.niigata-u.ac.jp.
Nature Communications
|March 19, 2026
Summary
Microbial predators like bacterivorous protists drive both local community convergence and global divergence. Predator identity and prey traits determine these outcomes, offering insights for microbiome engineering.
Area of Science:
- Microbial ecology
- Community assembly
- Biogeography
Background:
- Predators significantly impact microbial communities, yet their role in global microbial divergence and convergence is understudied.
- Understanding microbial community assembly is crucial for predicting ecosystem functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of microbial predators on community assembly.
- To elucidate the mechanisms behind predator-mediated microbial divergence and convergence patterns.
Main Methods:
- Integrated global amplicon sequencing data.
- Conducted controlled field experiments.
- Reconstructed natural and synthetic microbial communities.
Main Results:
- Bacterivorous protists have scale-dependent effects: promoting local convergence by suppressing dominant bacteria and global divergence via species-specific predation.
- Predator identity and prey susceptibility dictate convergence.
- Predator-resistant taxa show reduced convergence, indicating trait-based filtering.
Conclusions:
- Bacterivorous protists are key, context-dependent drivers of microbial biogeography.
- Targeted use of protists can engineer microbiomes for enhanced soil health and ecosystem resilience.
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