Bioreactors on the Move: How Animals Contribute to Microbial Community Coalescence and Shape Ecosystem Function.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Microbiology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Microbiome community coalescence, the mixing of distinct microbial communities and their environments, is an understudied ecological process.
• Animals interact with their environments at a critical interface, influencing microbial exchange.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and synthesize evidence for animals acting as "mobile bioreactors" facilitating microbiome community coalescence.
• To explore the ecological implications of animal-facilitated microbial mixing on ecosystem processes.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of emerging evidence from terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems.
• Case studies involving hippos, coral reef fish, and earthworms to illustrate coalescence events.
• Identification of methodological approaches and knowledge gaps.

Main Results:

• Animals ingest environmental microbes, which are selectively filtered in their guts and reintroduced into the environment with native microbiota.
• Animal-facilitated microbiome coalescence creates novel microbial communities with distinct functional capabilities.
• This process significantly alters ecosystem functions like nutrient cycling, decomposition, and trophic interactions.

Conclusions:

• Animal-environmental microbiome coalescence is a crucial process with far-reaching implications for ecosystem functioning.
• Understanding this process is vital for comprehending animal health and environmental resilience.
• Further research is needed on the persistence and quantitative contribution of animal microbiota to ecosystems.