Prospects for Integrating Disturbances, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning Using Microbial Systems

Abstract

Biodiversity is a key driver of ecosystem functioning, while disturbances are a key driver of biodiversity. Consequently, disturbances crucially influence ecosystem functioningboth directly via affecting ecosystem processes but also indirectly via altering biodiversity. We thus need to disclose the joint relationships between disturbances, biodiversity and functioning (DBF) to understand and predict ecosystem dynamics under realistic conditions. However, biodiversity responses to disturbances have so far insufficiently been studied together with biodiversity effects on functions. For many ecosystems, such integrative exploration of DBF relationships would require too extensive manipulations and observations over unfeasible spatial and temporal scales. We argue that microbial systems offer a bright perspective to overcome these limitations, and present a roadmap for doing so. Microbial systems allow us exposing different, wellcharacterized communities to multiple, reproducible disturbance regimes, and precisely measuring both biodiversity and associated functions over time. Comprehensive data can be obtained by systematically varying and replicating representative environmental scenarios. These data can further be explored and explained with computational models. Microbial systems thus reveal mechanisms that underlie DBF relationships and allow scrutinizing ecological hypotheses. This advancement of theory will be essential for ecology as a whole. It is particularly relevant in the context of global change, which is expected to promote disturbances as well as loss of biodiversity and functions in many ecosystems.

Cure or Curse? Simulation Indicates that Microbes Proliferate under Disinfection Measures in the Space Station

“…QAC stood for specific disturbances, causing non-random removal according to the microbe’s response traits(Banitz et al, 2020; Calderón et al, 2018; Jurburg et al, 2017; Srivastava & Vellend, 2005). Its effect also counted on the disturbance intensities and frequencies.…”

“…The proliferative microbes on the inner surface of the space station (Alekhova et al, 2005) have been threatening its normal operation, which is a serious problem and could be shifted to the issue of the effect of disturbance on community succession. Disturbance is acknowledged as a key factor of biodiversity via affecting eco-processes (Banitz et al, 2020). However, the mechanisms behind the observed community diversity under disturbance need to be further clarified (Fox, 2013; Shea et al, 2004).…”

“…Finally, studies with similar gradient-based methods on combined multiple factors with synergy, are still at an early stage. Most studies still concentrate on a single factor, and only a few have noticed the combined influence of multiple factors (Banitz et al, 2020; Zeng et al, 2020). In contrast, a large number of phenomena in nature are caused by the complex interaction of the latter condition (Elmqvist et al, 2003; Martínez-Ramos et al, 2016), including “ecological surprises” such as drastic shifts in community compositions and biodiversity (Banitz et al, 2020; Filbee-Dexter et al, 2017; Newman, 2019).…”

“…Disturbance is acknowledged as a key factor of biodiversity via affecting eco-processes (Banitz et al, 2020). However, the mechanisms behind the observed community diversity under disturbance need to be further clarified (Fox, 2013;Shea et al, 2004).…”

Redox conditions and a moderate anthropogenic impairment of groundwater quality reflected on the microbial functional traits in a volcanic aquifer

“…Being protected from surface environmental changes by layers of rocks and unconsolidated materials, aquifers are groundwater-dependent ecosystems that have been persisted relatively unaltered for million years (Gibert and Deharveng 2002). Natural and anthropogenic factors of different origin, extent, and intensity can affect the pristine aquifer conditions, with direct consequences on ecological functioning and ecosystem services provided by the resident biota (Danielopol and Griebler 2008;Battisti et al 2016;Burri et al 2019;Ma et al 2019;Banitz et al 2020). Current regulation uses fecal indicators as microbial pollution compliance parameters to determine the groundwater quality status intended for human consumption, while a broader environmental perspective should be considered to assess the aquifer ecological status (Griebler and Avramov 2015).…”