scholarly journals Comparative analysis of diversity and environmental niches of soil bacterial, archaeal, fungal and protist communities reveal niche divergences along environmental gradients in the Alps

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucie A Malard ◽  
Heidi K Mod ◽  
Nicolas Guex ◽  
Olivier Broennimann ◽  
Erika Yashiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Niche Breadth ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽  
Niche Variation ◽  
The Alps ◽  
Microbial Groups ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Edaphic Gradients

Abstract Although widely used in ecology, comparative analyses of diversity and niche properties are still lacking for microorganisms, especially concerning niche variations. In this study, we identified important topoclimatic, edaphic, spatial and biotic drivers of the alpha and beta diversity of bacterial, archaeal, fungal and protist communities. Then, we calculated the niche breadth and position of each taxon along environmental gradients within all taxonomic groups, to determine how these vary within and between groups. Quantifying the niches of microbial taxa is necessary to then forecast how taxa and the communities they compose might respond to environmental changes. We found that edaphic properties were the most important drivers of both community diversity and composition for all microbial groups. Protists presented the largest niche breadths, followed by bacteria and archaea, with fungi displaying the smallest. Niche breadth generally decreased towards environmental extremes, especially along edaphic gradients, suggesting increased specialisation of microbial taxa in highly selective environments. Overall, we showed that microorganisms have well defined niches, as do macro-organisms, likely driving part of the observed spatial patterns of community variations. Assessing niche variation more widely in microbial ecology should open new perspectives, especially to tackle global change effects on microbes.

The environmental niche of soil bacterial, archaeal, fungal and protist communities differ along edaphic and topoclimatic gradients in the Alps

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucie A Malard ◽  
Heidi K Mod ◽  
Nicolas Guex ◽  
Olivier Broennimann ◽  
Erika Yashiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Niche Breadth ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽  
Niche Concept ◽  
The Alps ◽  
Microbial Groups ◽  
Taxonomic Groups

Abstract BackgroundThe niche concept describes the range of conditions supporting the establishment and persistence of species in the environment. Although widely used in ecology, it has not been often applied to microbes, for which comparative niche analyses are still lacking. Yet, quantifying the niche of microbial taxa is necessary to forecast how taxa and the communities they compose might respond to environmental changes. In this study, we identified important topoclimatic, edaphic, spatial and biotic drivers of the alpha and beta diversity of bacterial, archaeal, fungal and protist communities. Then, we established a method to calculate the niche breadth and position of each taxon along environmental gradients to determine whether microorganisms have distinct environmental niches. ResultsFor all microbial groups, edaphic properties were identified as the most important drivers of both community diversity and composition. Protists presented the largest niche breadths, followed by bacteria and archaea, with fungi displaying the smallest. Niche breadth generally decreased towards environmental extremes, especially along edaphic gradients, suggesting increased specialisation of all microbial taxa in highly selective environments. ConclusionIn this study, we showed that microorganisms have well defined niches, as do macro-organisms, and that these likely drive part of the observed spatial patterns of community variations, but with notable differences among taxonomic groups. Applying the niche concept more widely to microbial ecology should open many novel perspectives, especially to tackle global change challenges.

scholarly journals Exploring Multiple Aspects of Taxonomic and Functional Diversity in Microphytobenthic Communities: Effects of Environmental Gradients and Temporal Changes

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anette Teittinen ◽  
Leena Virta
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
The Face ◽  
Functional Dispersion ◽  
Pool System ◽  
Microbial Groups

Biodiversity has traditionally been quantified using taxonomic information but the importance of also considering its functional characteristics has recently gained an increasing attention among microorganisms. However, studies exploring multiple aspects of taxonomic and functional diversity and their temporal variations are scarce for diatoms, which is one of the most important microbial groups in aquatic ecosystems. Here, our aim was to examine the taxonomic and functional alpha and beta diversities of diatoms in a coastal rock pool system characterized by a naturally high environmental heterogeneity. We also investigated the temporal differences in the diversity patterns and drivers. The relationship between the species richness and functional dispersion was temporally coherent, such that species-poor communities tended to be functionally clustered. The trend between the species richness and taxonomic uniqueness of community composition was temporally inconsistent, changing from negative to non-significant over time. Conductivity or distance to the sea or both were key determinants of species richness, functional dispersion, and uniqueness of community composition. The increase of community dissimilarity with an increasing environmental distance was stronger for the taxonomic than the functional composition. Our results suggest that even minor decreases in the species richness may result in a lowered functional diversity and decreased ecosystem functioning. Species-poor ecosystems may, however, have unique species compositions and high contributions to regional biodiversity. Despite changing the species compositions along the environmental gradients, communities may remain to have a high functional similarity and robustness in the face of environmental changes. Our results highlight the advantage of considering multiple biodiversity metrics and incorporating a temporal component for a deeper understanding of the effects of environmental changes on microbial biodiversity.

scholarly journals Butterfly Community Diversity in the Qinling Mountains

Diversity ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Jinze Ren ◽  
Shuying Li ◽  
Mengdi He ◽  
Yalin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Butterfly Species ◽  
Qinling Mountains ◽  
Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽  
Mountain Ranges ◽  
Butterfly Diversity ◽  
Structure Changes ◽  
Significant Difference

The Qinling Mountains are one of the oldest mountain ranges in China and a global biodiversity research and conservation hotspot. However, there is a lack of systematic research and survey of butterfly diversity in this region. Based on the butterfly taxa, combined with the changes in natural climate, altitude gradient and season in the Qinling Mountains, the butterfly diversity and community structure changes in 12 counties in the middle Qinling Mountains were analyzed by transect surveys and platform data analyses. A total of 9626 butterflies were observed, belonging to 427 species across 175 genera and 5 families. The species richness on the southern slope of the Qinling Mountains was higher than on the northern slope. We also studied the variation in alpha and beta diversity of butterflies. The results show that butterfly species were abundant and the highest diversity was found at the middle altitudes (1000–2000 m). Moreover, there were obvious seasonal differences in both species and number of butterflies. The community similarity in spring, summer and autumn was low, with limited species co-existing. The butterflies in the Qinling Mountains reserve area were the most abundant, exhibiting no significant difference with those in the ecotone and the farm area. Finally, we did an assessment of butterflies as endangered and protected species. In conclusion, our long-term butterfly survey data show that human disturbance and climate and environmental changes jointly shape the butterfly diversity in the middle of the Qinling Mountains.

scholarly journals DivNet: Estimating diversity in networked communities

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy D Willis ◽  
Bryan D Martin
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Health ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Disease Diagnosis ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Ecological Network ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
16S Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Infection Resistance ◽  
Taxonomic Groups

AbstractDiversity is a marker of ecosystem health in ecology, microbiology and immunology, with implications for disease diagnosis and infection resistance. However, accurately comparing diversity across environmental gradients is challenging, especially when number of different taxonomic groups in the community is large. Furthermore, existing approaches to estimating diversity do not perform well when the taxonomic groups in the community interact via an ecological network, such as by competing within their niche, or with mutualistic relationships. To address this, we propose DivNet, a method for estimating within- and between-community diversity in ecosystems where taxa interact via an ecological network. In particular, accounting for network structure permits more accurate estimates of alpha- and beta-diversity, even in settings with a large number of taxa and a small number of samples. DivNet is fast, accurate, precise, performs well with large numbers of taxa, and is robust to both weakly and strongly networked communities. We show that the advantages of incorporating taxon interactions into diversity estimation are especially clear in analyzing microbiomes and other high-diversity, strongly networked ecosystems. Therefore, to illustrate the method, we analyze the microbiome of seafloor basalts based on a 16S amplicon sequencing dataset with 1490 taxa and 13 samples.

Two new Banksia species from pleistocene sediments in western Tasmania

1991 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 499 ◽  
Author(s):  
GI Jordan ◽  
RS Hill
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Late Pleistocene ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Middle Pleistocene ◽  
Extinct Species ◽  
The Third ◽  
Taxonomic Groups

Subtribe Banksiinae of the Proteaceae was diverse in Tasmania in the early and middle Tertiary, but is now restricted to two species, Banksia marginata and B. serrata. Rapid and extreme environmental changes during the Pleistocene are likely causes of the extinction of some Banksia species in Tasmania. Such extinctions may have been common in many taxonomic groups. The leaves and infructescences of Banksia kingii Jordan & Hill, sp. nov. are described from late Pleistocene sediments. This is the most recent macrofossil record of a now extinct species in Tasmania. Banksia kingii is related to the extant B. saxicola. Banksia strahanensis Jordan & Hill, sp. nov. (known only from a leaf and leaf fragments and related to B. spinulosa) is described from Early to Middle Pleistocene sediments in Tasmania. This represents the third Pleistocene macrofossil record of a plant species which is now extinct in Tasmania.

scholarly journals Αλλαγές στις θαλάσσιες βακτηριακές κοινότητες σε συνθήκες εμπλουτισμού με θρεπτικά

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Στυλιανός Φοδελιανάκης
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Nutrient Enrichment ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Coastal Sediment ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Composition And Structure ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Bacterioplankton Communities

Nutrient enrichment is a common source of disturbance for marineecosystems. A prerequisite for the prediction of the effects of nutrient enrichment atthe ecosystem level is the understanding of the ecological mechanisms governingbacterioplankton communities, due to their high affinity with nutrients. The aim ofthis thesis was to examine changes in the composition and structure ofbacterioplankton communities of the water column and coastal sediment undernutrient enrichment. Three studies were conducted for that purpose: two in closedexperimental conditions and one examining changes in situ. In the first two studies,changes in the water column bacterioplankton communities were examined after Paddition and in nutrient enriched habitats, respectively. In the third study, changes inthe communities of coastal sediment were examined with and without the additionof organic matter and aeration of the water column. The main conclusions from theresults of this thesis were:a) Bacterioplankton communities of the Eastern Mediterranean show a high degreeof resistance to short-term P addition, although their biomass and production islimited by P.b) Five abundant taxonomic groups showed a similar pattern of change across threedifferent nutrient enriched habitats. These groups could be potentially used asindicators for monitoring nutrient enrichment at the water column.c) After incubation under presence or absence of organic enrichment, sedimentbacterial communities originating from different habitats clustered based on theincubation conditions rather than on the area of origin. That occurred faster for twoout of the three areas, where the amount of organic matter in the sediment wasinitially higher and bacterial community diversity was lower. These results indirectlysupport the theory of Baas-Becking that "everything is everywhere but theenvironment selects" and the positive correlation between diversity and communitystability.

Nestedness and turnover of riverine species and functional diverity using eDNA and traditional approaches.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathew Seymour ◽  
François Edwards ◽  
Jack Cosby ◽  
Pete Scarlet ◽  
Iliana Bista ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Survey Methods ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Spatial Dynamics ◽  
Spatial Diversity ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Freshwater Macroinvertebrates ◽  
Functional Dynamics ◽  
Temporal And Spatial ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Functional And Phylogenetic Diversity

Abstract Accurately assessing community diversity in time and space, and linking these patterns to ecological theory, is essential for effective environmental monitoring. Freshwater macroinvertebrates are an important group of taxa routinely used for riverine environmental assessments due to their wide biological, functional and phylogenetic diversity and their responses to environmental factors. Recently, eDNA metabarcoding based sampling and identification has been shown to increase the accuracy of biodiversity assessments, while reducing cost and time, compared to traditional methods. Here, we present results from a field comparison of eDNA versus traditional riverine biodiversity techniques to assess freshwater macroinvertebrates. In addition, we investigated the effects of landuse and seasonality on community and functional diversity, to infer the underlying regional ecological temporal and spatial dynamics. Comparison of biodiversity dynamics based on traditional and eDNA survey methods showed significant differences in taxonomic groups identified between methods, landuse type, and method x season interactions. Our findings are the first example of eDNA derived functional spatio-temporal and dynamics, indicating that the regional shifts in diversity and function are linked to regional seasonal fluctuations in fine particle matter versus localized landuse type. Beta diversity components (nestedness and turnover) differed significantly along the environmental gradient, but in different directions, for each methodology. Overall, our findings show that eDNA based ecological assessment is effective in assessing temporal and spatial diversity and functional dynamics of macroinvertebrates, while demonstrating that these data can be used to infer effective biodiversity assessment and management strategies.

scholarly journals Responses of Rhizosphere Fungal Communities to the Sewage Sludge Application into the Soil

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarína Ondreičková ◽  
Marcela Gubišová ◽  
Michaela Piliarová ◽  
Miroslav Horník ◽  
Pavel Matušinský ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
18S Rdna ◽  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Fungal Diversity ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Rdna Sequencing ◽  
Sludge Application

Due to the increasing sewage sludge production in the world and problems with its disposal, an application of sludge to the soil appears to be a suitable solution considering its fertilizer properties and ability to improve the soil physical conditions. On the other hand, the sludge may also contain undesirable and toxic substances. Since soil microorganisms are sensitive to environmental changes, they can be used as indicators of soil quality. In this study, we used sewage sludge (SS) from two municipal wastewater treatment plants (SS-A and SS-B) in the dose of 5 t/ha and 15 t/ha in order to determine possible changes in the fungal community diversity, especially arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), in the rhizosphere of Arundo donax L. Rhizosphere samples were collected in summer and autumn for two consecutive years and the fungal diversity was examined using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and 18S rDNA sequencing. Fungal alpha diversity was more affected by SS-A than SS-B probably due to the higher heavy metal content. However, based on principal component analysis and ANOSIM, significant changes in overall fungal diversity were not observed. Simultaneously, 18S rDNA sequencing showed that more various fungal taxa were detected in the sample with sewage sludge than in the control. Glomus sp. as a representative of AMF was the most represented. Moreover, Funneliformis in both samples and Rhizophagus in control with Septoglomus in the sludge sample were other representatives of AMF. Our results indicate that the short-term sewage sludge application into the soil does not cause a shift in the fungal community composition.

scholarly journals A global database for metacommunity ecology, integrating species, traits, environment and space

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alienor Jeliazkov ◽  
Darko Mijatovic ◽  
Stéphane Chantepie ◽  
Nigel Andrew ◽  
Raphaël Arlettaz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Species Traits ◽  
Global Database ◽  
Metacommunity Ecology ◽  
Species Trait ◽  
Spatial Coordinates ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Case Basis

AbstractThe use of functional information in the form of species traits plays an important role in explaining biodiversity patterns and responses to environmental changes. Although relationships between species composition, their traits, and the environment have been extensively studied on a case-by-case basis, results are variable, and it remains unclear how generalizable these relationships are across ecosystems, taxa and spatial scales. To address this gap, we collated 80 datasets from trait-based studies into a global database for metaCommunity Ecology: Species, Traits, Environment and Space; “CESTES”. Each dataset includes four matrices: species community abundances or presences/absences across multiple sites, species trait information, environmental variables and spatial coordinates of the sampling sites. The CESTES database is a live database: it will be maintained and expanded in the future as new datasets become available. By its harmonized structure, and the diversity of ecosystem types, taxonomic groups, and spatial scales it covers, the CESTES database provides an important opportunity for synthetic trait-based research in community ecology.

scholarly journals Altitudinal upwards shifts in fungal fruiting in the Alps

2020 ◽  
Vol 287 (1919) ◽  
pp. 20192348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Diez ◽  
Håvard Kauserud ◽  
Carrie Andrew ◽  
Einar Heegaard ◽  
Irmgard Krisai-Greilhuber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Fruit Body ◽  
Wood Decay ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
European Alps ◽  
Decay Fungi ◽  
Wood Decay Fungi ◽  
Physiological Limit ◽  
The Alps

Many plant and animal species are changing their latitudinal and/or altitudinal distributions in response to climate change, but whether fungi show similar changes is largely unknown. Here, we use historical fungal fruit body records from the European Alps to assess altitudinal changes in fungal fruiting between 1960 and 2010. We observe that many fungal species are fruiting at significantly higher elevations in 2010 compared to 1960, and especially so among soil-dwelling fungi. Wood-decay fungi, being dependent on the presence of one or a few host trees, show a slower response. Species growing at higher elevations changed their altitudinal fruiting patterns significantly more than lowland species. Environmental changes in high altitudes may lead to proportionally stronger responses, since high-altitude species live closer to their physiological limit. These aboveground changes in fruiting patterns probably mirror corresponding shifts in belowground fungal communities, suggesting parallel shifts in important ecosystem functions.

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