Determining causal links between interaction type and network structure in microbial communities

GSTDTAP

项目编号	NE/S000771/1
	Determining causal links between interaction type and network structure in microbial communities
	Angus Buckling
主持机构	University of Exeter
项目开始年	2018
	2018-10-01
项目结束日期	2021-09-30
资助机构	UK-NERC
项目类别	Research Grant
项目经费	559461(GBP)
国家	英国
语种	英语
英文摘要	Ecological communities exist as networks of interacting species, and the structure of these networks determine their stability and function. Observational studies suggest that network structure depends upon whether interactions between species are predominantly mutualistic or antagonistic, however the causality of this relationship remains unclear. Here, we will use communities of bacteria and their symbiotic plasmids to experimentally determine how interaction type (mutualistic versus antagonistic) affects community network structure. Our system is ideal to address these questions because bacteria-plasmid interactions can be switched from antagonistic to mutualistic through simple environmental manipulations (the addition of antibiotics to which the plasmids confer resistance), and changes in community network structure can be observed over a matter of weeks. The large-scale of this project is made possible by the application of a novel culture-free method, epicPCR, which allows high-throughput assessment of bacteria-plasmid associations. The predicted role of ecological stability, as well as novel eco-evolutionary mechanisms, underpinning the interaction type-network structure relationships will be assessed by a combination of phenotypic and genetic experiments complemented by theory.
来源学科分类	Natural Environment Research
文献类型	项目
条目标识符	http://119.78.100.173/C666/handle/2XK7JSWQ/87487
专题	环境与发展全球科技态势
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Angus Buckling.Determining causal links between interaction type and network structure in microbial communities.2018.