
Open access
Date
2016-01-25Type
- Journal Article
Abstract
Microbial life in soil is perceived as one of the most interesting ecological systems, with microbial communities exhibiting remarkable adaptability to vast dynamic environmental conditions. At the same time, it is a notoriously challenging system to understand due to its complexity including physical, chemical, and biological factors in synchrony. This study presents a spatially-resolved model of microbial dynamics on idealised rough soil surfaces represented as patches with different (roughness) properties that preserve the salient hydration physics of real surfaces. Cell level microbial interactions are considered within an individual-based formulation including dispersion and various forms of trophic dependencies (competition, mutualism). The model provides new insights into mechanisms affecting microbial community dynamics and gives rise to spontaneous formation of microbial community spatial patterns. The framework is capable of representing many interacting species and provides diversity metrics reflecting surface conditions and their evolution over time. A key feature of the model is its spatial scalability that permits representation of microbial processes from cell-level (micro-metric scales) to soil representative volumes at sub-metre scales. Several illustrative examples of microbial trophic interactions and population dynamics highlight the potential of the proposed modelling framework to quantitatively study soil microbial processes. The model is highly applicable in a wide range spanning from quantifying spatial organisation of multiple species under various hydration conditions to predicting microbial diversity residing in different soils. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000110077Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
PLoS ONEVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
Public Library of ScienceOrganisational unit
03812 - Or, Dani (emeritus) / Or, Dani (emeritus)
Funding
132154 - Quantifying Biophysical Processes Promoting Microbial Diversity in Soil (SNF)
320499 - The Hidden Frontier: Quantitative Exploration of Physical and Ecological Origins of Microbial Diversity in Soil (EC)
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