Niche partitioning and stochastic processes shape community structure following whitefly invasions

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 685-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
David W. Crowder ◽  
A. Rami Horowitz ◽  
Haggai Breslauer ◽  
Mario Rippa ◽  
Svetlana Kontsedalov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Stochastic Processes ◽  
Niche Partitioning

Disease and community structure: white-nose syndrome alters spatial and temporal niche partitioning in sympatric bat species

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 1002-1015 ◽  
Author(s):  
David S. Jachowski ◽  
Chris A. Dobony ◽  
Laci S. Coleman ◽  
William M. Ford ◽  
Eric R. Britzke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Niche Partitioning ◽  
Temporal Niche ◽  
White Nose Syndrome

scholarly journals Aboveground and belowground arthropod communities experience different relative influences of stochastic and deterministic assembly processes following disturbance

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Ferrenberg ◽  
Alexander S. Martinez ◽  
Akasha M. Faist
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Stochastic Processes ◽  
Community Assembly ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Relative Influence ◽  
Subalpine Forest ◽  
Arthropod Community ◽  
Arthropod Communities

Background. Understanding patterns of biodiversity is a longstanding challenge in ecology. Similar to other biotic groups, arthropod community structure can be shaped by deterministic and stochastic processes, with limited understanding of what moderates the relative influence of these processes. Disturbances have been noted to alter the relative influence of deterministic and stochastic processes on community assembly in various study systems, implicating ecological disturbances as a potential moderator of these forces. Methods. Using a disturbance gradient along a 5-year chronosequence of insect-induced tree mortality in a subalpine forest of the southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado, USA, we examined changes in community structure and relative influences of deterministic and stochastic processes in the assembly of aboveground (surface and litter-active species) and belowground (species active in organic and mineral soil layers) arthropod communities. Arthropods were sampled for all years of the chronosequence via pitfall traps (aboveground community) and modified Winkler funnels (belowground community) and sorted to morphospecies. Community structure of both communities were assessed via comparisons of morphospecies diversity and assemblages. Assembly processes were inferred from a mixture of linear models and matrix correlations testing for community associations with environmental properties, and from null-deviation models calculated from observed vs. expected levels of species turnover (Beta diversity) among samples. Results. Tree mortality altered community structure in both aboveground and belowground arthropod communities, but null models suggested that aboveground communities experienced greater relative influences of deterministic processes, while the relative influence of stochastic processes increased for belowground communities. Additionally, Mantel tests and linear regression models revealed significant associations between the aboveground arthropod communities and vegetation and soil properties, but no significant association among belowground arthropod communities and environmental factors. Discussion. Our results suggest context-dependent influences of stochastic and deterministic community assembly processes across different fractions of a ground-dwelling arthropod community following a disturbance. This variation in assembly may be linked to contrasting ecological strategies and dispersal rates within above- and below-ground communities. Our findings add to a growing body of evidence indicating concurrent influences of different processes in community assembly, and highlight the need to consider potential variation across different fractions of biotic communities when testing community ecology theory.

scholarly journals Aboveground and belowground arthropod communities experience different relative influences of stochastic and deterministic assembly processes following disturbance

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Ferrenberg ◽  
Alexander S. Martinez ◽  
Akasha M. Faist
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Stochastic Processes ◽  
Community Assembly ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Relative Influence ◽  
Subalpine Forest ◽  
Arthropod Community ◽  
Arthropod Communities

Background. Understanding patterns of biodiversity is a longstanding challenge in ecology. Similar to other biotic groups, arthropod community structure can be shaped by deterministic and stochastic processes, with limited understanding of what moderates the relative influence of these processes. Disturbances have been noted to alter the relative influence of deterministic and stochastic processes on community assembly in various study systems, implicating ecological disturbances as a potential moderator of these forces. Methods. Using a disturbance gradient along a 5-year chronosequence of insect-induced tree mortality in a subalpine forest of the southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado, USA, we examined changes in community structure and relative influences of deterministic and stochastic processes in the assembly of aboveground (surface and litter-active species) and belowground (species active in organic and mineral soil layers) arthropod communities. Arthropods were sampled for all years of the chronosequence via pitfall traps (aboveground community) and modified Winkler funnels (belowground community) and sorted to morphospecies. Community structure of both communities were assessed via comparisons of morphospecies diversity and assemblages. Assembly processes were inferred from a mixture of linear models and matrix correlations testing for community associations with environmental properties, and from null-deviation models calculated from observed vs. expected levels of species turnover (Beta diversity) among samples. Results. Tree mortality altered community structure in both aboveground and belowground arthropod communities, but null models suggested that aboveground communities experienced greater relative influences of deterministic processes, while the relative influence of stochastic processes increased for belowground communities. Additionally, Mantel tests and linear regression models revealed significant associations between the aboveground arthropod communities and vegetation and soil properties, but no significant association among belowground arthropod communities and environmental factors. Discussion. Our results suggest context-dependent influences of stochastic and deterministic community assembly processes across different fractions of a ground-dwelling arthropod community following a disturbance. This variation in assembly may be linked to contrasting ecological strategies and dispersal rates within above- and below-ground communities. Our findings add to a growing body of evidence indicating concurrent influences of different processes in community assembly, and highlight the need to consider potential variation across different fractions of biotic communities when testing community ecology theory.

scholarly journals Aboveground and belowground arthropods experience different relative influences of stochastic versus deterministic community assembly processes following disturbance

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Ferrenberg ◽  
Alexander S. Martinez ◽  
Akasha M. Faist
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Stochastic Processes ◽  
Community Assembly ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Relative Influence ◽  
Subalpine Forest ◽  
Arthropod Community ◽  
Arthropod Communities ◽  
Deterministic Processes

BackgroundUnderstanding patterns of biodiversity is a longstanding challenge in ecology. Similar to other biotic groups, arthropod community structure can be shaped by deterministic and stochastic processes, with limited understanding of what moderates the relative influence of these processes. Disturbances have been noted to alter the relative influence of deterministic and stochastic processes on community assembly in various study systems, implicating ecological disturbances as a potential moderator of these forces.MethodsUsing a disturbance gradient along a 5-year chronosequence of insect-induced tree mortality in a subalpine forest of the southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado, USA, we examined changes in community structure and relative influences of deterministic and stochastic processes in the assembly of aboveground (surface and litter-active species) and belowground (species active in organic and mineral soil layers) arthropod communities. Arthropods were sampled for all years of the chronosequence via pitfall traps (aboveground community) and modified Winkler funnels (belowground community) and sorted to morphospecies. Community structure of both communities were assessed via comparisons of morphospecies abundance, diversity, and composition. Assembly processes were inferred from a mixture of linear models and matrix correlations testing for community associations with environmental properties, and from null-deviation models comparing observed vs. expected levels of species turnover (Beta diversity) among samples.ResultsTree mortality altered community structure in both aboveground and belowground arthropod communities, but null models suggested that aboveground communities experienced greater relative influences of deterministic processes, while the relative influence of stochastic processes increased for belowground communities. Additionally, Mantel tests and linear regression models revealed significant associations between the aboveground arthropod communities and vegetation and soil properties, but no significant association among belowground arthropod communities and environmental factors.DiscussionOur results suggest context-dependent influences of stochastic and deterministic community assembly processes across different fractions of a spatially co-occurring ground-dwelling arthropod community following disturbance. This variation in assembly may be linked to contrasting ecological strategies and dispersal rates within above- and below-ground communities. Our findings add to a growing body of evidence indicating concurrent influences of stochastic and deterministic processes in community assembly, and highlight the need to consider potential variation across different fractions of biotic communities when testing community ecology theory and considering conservation strategies.

scholarly journals Bacterial community structure in the Bohai Strait provides insights into organic matter niche partitioning

2018 ◽  
Vol 169 ◽  
pp. 46-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yibo Wang ◽  
Bin Wang ◽  
Lisa M. Dann ◽  
James G. Mitchell ◽  
Xiaoke Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Bacterial Community ◽  
Bacterial Community Structure ◽  
Niche Partitioning ◽  
Bohai Strait

scholarly journals Aboveground and belowground arthropod communities experience different relative influences of stochastic and deterministic assembly processes following disturbance

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Ferrenberg ◽  
Alexander S. Martinez ◽  
Akasha M. Faist
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Stochastic Processes ◽  
Community Assembly ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Relative Influence ◽  
Subalpine Forest ◽  
Arthropod Community ◽  
Arthropod Communities

Background. Understanding patterns of biodiversity is a longstanding challenge in ecology. Similar to other biotic groups, arthropod community structure can be shaped by deterministic and stochastic processes, with limited understanding of what moderates the relative influence of these processes. Disturbances have been noted to alter the relative influence of deterministic and stochastic processes on community assembly in various study systems, implicating ecological disturbances as a potential moderator of these forces. Methods. Using a disturbance gradient along a 5-year chronosequence of insect-induced tree mortality in a subalpine forest of the southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado, USA, we examined changes in community structure and relative influences of deterministic and stochastic processes in the assembly of aboveground (surface and litter-active species) and belowground (species active in organic and mineral soil layers) arthropod communities. Arthropods were sampled for all years of the chronosequence via pitfall traps (aboveground community) and modified Winkler funnels (belowground community) and sorted to morphospecies. Community structure of both communities were assessed via comparisons of morphospecies diversity and assemblages. Assembly processes were inferred from a mixture of linear models and matrix correlations testing for community associations with environmental properties, and from null-deviation models calculated from observed vs. expected levels of species turnover (Beta diversity) among samples. Results. Tree mortality altered community structure in both aboveground and belowground arthropod communities, but null models suggested that aboveground communities experienced greater relative influences of deterministic processes, while the relative influence of stochastic processes increased for belowground communities. Additionally, Mantel tests and linear regression models revealed significant associations between the aboveground arthropod communities and vegetation and soil properties, but no significant association among belowground arthropod communities and environmental factors. Discussion. Our results suggest context-dependent influences of stochastic and deterministic community assembly processes across different fractions of a ground-dwelling arthropod community following a disturbance. This variation in assembly may be linked to contrasting ecological strategies and dispersal rates within above- and below-ground communities. Our findings add to a growing body of evidence indicating concurrent influences of different processes in community assembly, and highlight the need to consider potential variation across different fractions of biotic communities when testing community ecology theory.

scholarly journals Linking soil biology and chemistry using bacterial isolate exometabolite profiles

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tami L. Swenson ◽  
Ulas Karaoz ◽  
Joel M. Swenson ◽  
Benjamin P. Bowen ◽  
Trent Northen
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Microbial Community ◽  
Microbial Community Structure ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Environmental Chemistry ◽  
Biological Soil Crust ◽  
Niche Partitioning ◽  
Soil Biology ◽  
Metabolic Potential ◽  
Dominant Bacteria

ABSTRACTSequencing provides a window into microbial community structure and metabolic potential; however, linking these data to exogenous metabolites that microorganisms process and produce (the exometabolome) remains challenging. Previously, we observed strong exometabolite niche partitioning among bacterial isolates from biological soil crust (biocrust). Here we examine native biocrust to determine if these patterns are reproduced in the environment. Overall, most soil metabolites displayed the expected relationship (positive or negative correlation) with four dominant bacteria following a wetting event and across biocrust developmental stages. For metabolites that were previously found to be consumed by an isolate, 78% were negatively correlated with the abundance ofin situisolate phylotypes whereas for released metabolites, 73% were positively correlated. Our results demonstrate that metabolite profiling, sequencing and exometabolomics can be successfully integrated to functionally link metagenomes and microbial community structure with environmental chemistry.

scholarly journals Impact of Seasonal Hypoxia on Activity and Community Structure of Chemolithoautotrophic Bacteria in a Coastal Sediment

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne A. Lipsewers ◽  
Diana Vasquez-Cardenas ◽  
Dorina Seitaj ◽  
Regina Schauer ◽  
Silvia Hidalgo-Martinez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Bacterial Community ◽  
Nitrate Reduction ◽  
Sulfide Oxidation ◽  
Niche Partitioning ◽  
Sulfur Oxidation ◽  
Electron Acceptors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sulfur Oxidizing ◽  
Seasonal Hypoxia

ABSTRACT Seasonal hypoxia in coastal systems drastically changes the availability of electron acceptors in bottom water, which alters the sedimentary reoxidation of reduced compounds. However, the effect of seasonal hypoxia on the chemolithoautotrophic community that catalyzes these reoxidation reactions is rarely studied. Here, we examine the changes in activity and structure of the sedimentary chemolithoautotrophic bacterial community of a seasonally hypoxic saline basin under oxic (spring) and hypoxic (summer) conditions. Combined 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and analysis of phospholipid-derived fatty acids indicated a major temporal shift in community structure. Aerobic sulfur-oxidizing Gammaproteobacteria (Thiotrichales) and Epsilonproteobacteria (Campylobacterales) were prevalent during spring, whereas Deltaproteobacteria (Desulfobacterales) related to sulfate-reducing bacteria prevailed during summer hypoxia. Chemolithoautotrophy rates in the surface sediment were three times higher in spring than in summer. The depth distribution of chemolithoautotrophy was linked to the distinct sulfur oxidation mechanisms identified through microsensor profiling, i.e., canonical sulfur oxidation, electrogenic sulfur oxidation by cable bacteria, and sulfide oxidation coupled to nitrate reduction by Beggiatoaceae. The metabolic diversity of the sulfur-oxidizing bacterial community suggests a complex niche partitioning within the sediment, probably driven by the availability of reduced sulfur compounds (H2S, S0, and S2O3 2−) and electron acceptors (O2 and NO3 −) regulated by seasonal hypoxia. IMPORTANCE Chemolithoautotrophic microbes in the seafloor are dependent on electron acceptors, like oxygen and nitrate, that diffuse from the overlying water. Seasonal hypoxia, however, drastically changes the availability of these electron acceptors in the bottom water; hence, one expects a strong impact of seasonal hypoxia on sedimentary chemolithoautotrophy. A multidisciplinary investigation of the sediments in a seasonally hypoxic coastal basin confirms this hypothesis. Our data show that bacterial community structure and chemolithoautotrophic activity varied with the seasonal depletion of oxygen. Unexpectedly, the dark carbon fixation was also dependent on the dominant microbial pathway of sulfur oxidation occurring in the sediment (i.e., canonical sulfur oxidation, electrogenic sulfur oxidation by cable bacteria, and sulfide oxidation coupled to nitrate reduction by Beggiatoaceae). These results suggest that a complex niche partitioning within the sulfur-oxidizing bacterial community additionally affects the chemolithoautotrophic community of seasonally hypoxic sediments.

Stochastic and deterministic processes differently affect the community structure of edaphic mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 577-592
Author(s):  
Matheus S. Rocha ◽  
Gabriela Reis-avila ◽  
Mateus M. Pires ◽  
Tairis Da-costa ◽  
Noeli J. Ferla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Stochastic Processes ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Plant Litter ◽  
Brazilian Atlantic Forest ◽  
Litter Depth ◽  
Spatial Parameters ◽  
Deterministic Processes ◽  
Mite Communities

Most mesostigmatid mites (Arachnida: Parasitiformes) are soil-dwelling predators, feeding predominantly on detritivorous and fungivorous invertebrates. Little is known about the role of environmental and spatial parameters in driving the structure of their local communities. The aim of this study is to assess the relative importance of environmental/spatial parameters in different scales and microhabitats on the community structure of edaphic mesostigmatid mites in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Soil and litter samples were collected in 20 sites (six subsamples per microhabitat per site; N = 240 samples) distant from each other over ranges varying from 100 m to seven km. Geographic distances between sampling sites and spatial eigenfunctions were used as proxies of stochastic processes to assess the influence of spatial parameters on mite community structure. Environmental parameters included soil grain size, moisture and organic matter, vegetation structure, litter depth and percentage of leaves, branches, and thin roots in plant litter. We collected 1135 Mesostigmata individuals from 77 species/morphospecies. Mite composition strongly differed between soil and litter microhabitats. Mite communities geographically closer were more similar to each other in terms of Mesostigmata composition than expected if there is no spatial structure. Litter depth, soil organic matter and soil moisture significantly contributed to edaphic mite community structure. Deterministic processes predominated in explaining the composition of the litter fauna, while the composition of the soil fauna was more sensitive to stochastic processes. Our results provide evidence that the composition of Mesostigmata communities not only differ between microhabitats, but they are differently structured by environmental and spatial parameters depending on the scale. This provides new insight into the processes affecting of mite diversity within soil ecosystem at fine and broad scales, and highlights the importance of the spatial proximity and microhabitat in driving the composition of mite communities.

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