When the going gets tough

Emergence of a complex methane-driven interaction network during recovery from desiccation-rewetting

authored by: Thomas Kaupper, Lucas W. Mendes, Hyo Jung Lee, Yongliang Mo, Anja Poehlein, Zhongjun Jia, Marcus A. Horn, Adrian Ho
Abstract: Microorganisms interact in complex communities, affecting microbially-mediated processes in the environment. Particularly, aerobic methanotrophs showed significantly stimulated growth and activity in the presence of accompanying microorganisms in an interaction network (interactome). Yet, little is known of how the interactome responds to disturbances, and how community functioning is affected by the disturbance-induced structuring of the interaction network. Here, we employed a time-series stable isotope probing (SIP) approach using ¹³C–CH₄ coupled to a co-occurrence network analysis after Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the ¹³C-enriched 16S rRNA gene to directly relate the response in methanotrophic activity to the network structure of the interactome after desiccation-rewetting of a paddy soil. Methane uptake rate decreased immediately (<5 days) after short-term desiccation-rewetting. Although the methanotroph subgroups differentially responded to desiccation-rewetting, the metabolically active bacterial community composition, including the methanotrophs, recovered after the disturbance. However, the interaction network was profoundly altered, becoming more complex but, less modular after desiccation-rewetting, despite the recovery in the methanotrophic activity and community composition/abundances. This suggests that the legacy of the disturbance persists in the interaction network. The change in the network structure may have consequences for community functioning with recurring desiccation-rewetting.
Organisation(s): Institute of Microbiology
External Organisation(s): Universidade de Sao Paulo
Kunsan National University
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
University of Göttingen
Type: Article
Journal: Soil Biology and Biochemistry
Volume: 153
ISSN: 0038-0717
Publication date: 02.2021
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Microbiology, Soil Science
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.15488/15946 (Access: Open)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2020.108109 (Access: Closed)