Translating macroecological models to predict microbial establishment probability in an agricultural inoculant...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Microbiology
• Ecological Modeling
• Microbial Ecology

Background:

• Microbial inoculants are increasingly used in agriculture for beneficial effects.
• Ensuring inoculant survival and persistence without disrupting ecosystems is crucial.
• Predictive tools for microbial introductions are lacking, despite the importance of propagule pressure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt macroecological propagule pressure models for microbial inoculant introductions.
• To experimentally test the influence of propagule pressure on inoculant establishment.
• To simulate establishment outcomes based on application frequency and concentration.

Main Methods:

• Adapted a macroecological propagule pressure model to a microbial scale.
• Conducted experiments to determine the risk-release relationship for a *Pseudomonas simiae* inoculant.
• Simulated establishment using varying application frequencies and inoculant concentrations.

Main Results:

• Experimental determination of the risk-release relationship for the inoculant.
• Simulations indicated that repeated applications enhance establishment.
• Increased inoculant concentration did not significantly alter establishment probabilities in simulations.

Conclusions:

• Propagule pressure is a key factor in microbial inoculant establishment.
• Ecological modeling can predict and support the sustainable use of microbial inoculants.
• This approach can serve as a monitoring tool for agricultural microbial introductions.