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The impact of microbial interactions on ecosystem function intensifies under stress
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  • Brittni Bertolet,
  • Luciana Chavez Rodriguez,
  • José Murúa,
  • Alonso Favela,
  • Steven Allison
Brittni Bertolet
University of California Irvine

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Luciana Chavez Rodriguez
University of California Irvine
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José Murúa
University of California Irvine
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Alonso Favela
The University of Arizona
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Steven Allison
University of California Irvine
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Abstract

A major challenge in ecology is to understand how different species interact to determine ecosystem function, particularly in communities with large numbers of co-occurring species. We use a trait-based model of microbial litter decomposition to quantify how different taxa impact ecosystem function. Further, we build a novel framework that highlights the interplay between taxon traits and environmental conditions, focusing on their combined influence on community interactions and ecosystem function. Our results suggest that the impact of a taxon is driven by its resource acquisition traits and the community functional capacity, but that physiological stress amplifies the impact of both positive and negative interactions. Further, net positive impacts on ecosystem function can arise even as microbes have negative pairwise interactions with other taxa. As communities shift in response to global climate change, our findings reveal the potential to predict the biogeochemical functioning of communities from taxon traits and interactions.
Submitted to Ecology Letters
08 Jul 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
10 Jul 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Major
26 Jul 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
26 Jul 20241st Revision Received
28 Jul 2024Submission Checks Completed
28 Jul 2024Assigned to Editor
12 Aug 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
02 Sep 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
04 Sep 20242nd Revision Received
04 Sep 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
05 Sep 2024Submission Checks Completed
05 Sep 2024Assigned to Editor
05 Sep 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
08 Sep 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
16 Sep 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
16 Sep 20243rd Revision Received
17 Sep 2024Editorial Decision: Accept