Microbial evolution drives adaptation of substrate degradation on
ecological timescales
- Elsa Abs,
- David Coulette,
- Philippe Ciais,
- Steven Allison
Abstract
Understanding microbial adaptation is crucial for predicting how soil
carbon dynamics and global biogeochemical cycles will respond to climate
change. This study employs the DEMENT model of microbial decomposition,
along with empirical mutation and dispersal rates, to explore the roles
of mutation and dispersal in adaptation of soil microbial populations to
shifts in litter chemistry, changes that are anticipated with
climate-driven vegetation dynamics. Following a change in litter
chemistry, mutation generally allows for a higher rate of litter
decomposition than dispersal, especially when dispersal predominantly
introduces genotypes already present in the population. These findings
challenge the common idea that mutation rates are too low to affect
ecosystem processes on ecological timescales. These results demonstrate
that evolutionary processes, such as mutation, can help maintain
ecosystem functioning as the climate changes.16 May 2024Submitted to Ecology Letters 31 May 2024Submission Checks Completed
31 May 2024Assigned to Editor
05 Jun 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
05 Jul 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
29 Jul 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Major
12 Aug 20241st Revision Received
12 Aug 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
12 Aug 2024Submission Checks Completed
12 Aug 2024Assigned to Editor
20 Aug 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
13 Sep 2024Editorial Decision: Accept