The role of bottom-up and top-down interactions in determining microbial and fungal diversity and function

Crowther, Thomas W.; Grossart, Hans‐Peter

doi:10.1017/cbo9781139924856.011

Cited by 15 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 135 publications

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“…Bacteria increased detritus processing and decreased CDOM in bromeliad ecosystems, even in the absence of detritivores. Heterotrophic and saprotrophic microorganisms (bacteria + fungi) stand out due to their ability to break down and mineralize dead organic matter, and are responsible for comprising the basis of carbon, nutrient, and energy cycles (Crowther & Grossart, ). In our study, the effect of bacteria on ecosystem functioning suggests that these microorganisms are the main decomposition mediators in the studied ecosystem (see also LeCraw et al., ; Leroy et al., ), and that detritivores indirectly contribute to nutrient cycling, as they facilitate bacterial populations probably because they increase nutrient input (feces) in the ecosystem.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Warming weakens facilitative interactions between decomposers and detritivores, and modifies freshwater ecosystem functioning

Bernabé

Omena

Santos

et al. 2018

Global Change Biology

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Warming is among the major drivers of changes in biotic interactions and, in turn, ecosystem functioning. The decomposition process occurs in a chain of facilitative interactions between detritivores and microorganisms. It remains unclear, however, what effect warming may have on the interrelations between detritivores and microorganisms, and the consequences for the functioning of natural freshwater ecosystems. To address these gaps, we performed a field experiment using tank bromeliads and their associated aquatic fauna. We manipulated the presence of bacteria and detritivorous macroinvertebrates (control, "bacteria," and "bacteria + macroinvertebrates") under ambient and warming scenarios, and analyzed the effects on the microorganisms and ecosystem functioning (detritus mass loss, colored dissolved organic matter, and nitrogen flux). We applied antibiotic solution to eliminate or reduce bacteria from control bromeliads. After 60 days incubation, bacterial density was higher in the presence than in the absence of macroinvertebrates. In the absence of macroinvertebrates, temperature did not influence bacterial density. However, in the presence of macroinvertebrates, bacterial density decreased by 54% with warming. The magnitude of the effects of organisms on ecosystem functioning was higher in the combined presence of bacteria and macroinvertebrates. However, warming reduced the overall positive effects of detritivores on bacterial density, which in turn, cascaded down to ecosystem functioning by decreasing decomposition and nitrogen flux. These results show the existence of facilitative mechanisms between bacteria and detritivores in the decomposition process, which might collapse due to warming. Detritivores seem to contribute to nutrient cycling as they facilitate bacterial populations, probably by increasing nutrient input (feces) in the ecosystem. However, increased temperature mitigated these beneficial effects. Our results add to a growing research body that shows that warming can affect the structure of aquatic communities, and highlight the importance of considering the interactive effects between facilitation and climatic drivers on the functioning of freshwater ecosystems.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Warming weakens facilitative interactions between decomposers and detritivores, and modifies freshwater ecosystem functioning

Bernabé

Omena

Santos

et al. 2018

Global Change Biology

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“…Even in Antarctic benthic ecosystems, fungi can have an important role in C cycling and nutrient regeneration processes. Benthic fungi, acting as decomposers of organic matter can be involved in the degradation of recalcitrant organic compounds, which otherwise accumulate in marine sediments [ 93 , 122 , 123 ], and may mediate C and energy transfer to higher trophic levels [ 112 , 124 , 125 , 126 ]. The association of fungi with microalgal [ 43 ] and macroalgal detritus can improve the nutritional value of organic matter by lowering the carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus ratio [ 127 , 128 ].…”

Section: Fungal Diversity and Ecology In Antarctic Marine Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity, Ecological Role and Biotechnological Potential of Antarctic Marine Fungi

Varrella

Barone

Tangherlini

et al. 2021

JoF

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The Antarctic Ocean is one of the most remote and inaccessible environments on our planet and hosts potentially high biodiversity, being largely unexplored and undescribed. Fungi have key functions and unique physiological and morphological adaptations even in extreme conditions, from shallow habitats to deep-sea sediments. Here, we summarized information on diversity, the ecological role, and biotechnological potential of marine fungi in the coldest biome on Earth. This review also discloses the importance of boosting research on Antarctic fungi as hidden treasures of biodiversity and bioactive molecules to better understand their role in marine ecosystem functioning and their applications in different biotechnological fields.

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“…4). Generalists are thought to be favoured in heterogeneous environments (Kassen 2002), and in terms of resources, forests are generally more heterogeneous than pastures (Crowther & Grossart 2015). Higher specialization in primary forests could also be due to plant-fungal linkages, which have been observed for both soil (Peay, Baraloto & Fine 2013) and leaf-associated (Kembel & Mueller 2014) fungal communities in tropical forests.…”

Section: A N D U S E C H a N G E A N D G E N E R A L I S T F U N G Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Land use change in the Amazon rain forest favours generalist fungi

et al. 2016

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1. Land use change is a significant threat to biodiversity, particularly within tropical ecosystems, but the responses of microbial communities remain poorly understood. 2. We used long-term plots established in multiple land use types in the Brazilian Amazon to examine the effect of land use change on soil fungal communities. We measured fungal richness and composition and identified factors associated with shifts in community composition across multiple land use types, including primary forest, two secondary forests and a chronosequence of differently aged pastures. Additionally, we used distribution patterns to estimate the niche breadth of fungal taxa in order to quantify changes in the relative abundance of generalists, or fungi with broad environmental tolerance, in response to land use change.3. Conversion of primary forest to pasture resulted in large reductions in fungal richness coupled with substantial changes in community composition. Generalist fungi were strongly favoured in all pasture sites, regardless of time since conversion. Distance to primary forests was the strongest correlate of community composition in pastures, indicating that primary forests can act as reservoirs for recolonization by forest-associated fungi. The two secondary forests showed variable patterns of richness, composition and the overall abundance of generalist fungi, suggesting that community recovery is stochastic. 4. Fungal community response to land use change mirrors patterns observed in macroscopic organisms, which indicates that the increased prevalence of generalist taxa is a consistent response to disturbance across broad taxonomic groups.

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The role of bottom-up and top-down interactions in determining microbial and fungal diversity and function

Cited by 15 publications

References 135 publications

Warming weakens facilitative interactions between decomposers and detritivores, and modifies freshwater ecosystem functioning

Warming weakens facilitative interactions between decomposers and detritivores, and modifies freshwater ecosystem functioning

Diversity, Ecological Role and Biotechnological Potential of Antarctic Marine Fungi

Land use change in the Amazon rain forest favours generalist fungi

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