A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Multi-stability and the origin of microbial community types
Authors: Gonze D, Lahti L, Raes J, Faust K
Publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
Publishing place: London
Publication year: 2017
Journal: ISME Journal
Journal name in source: ISME JOURNAL
Journal acronym: ISME J
Volume: 11
Issue: 10
First page : 2159
Last page: 2166
Number of pages: 8
ISSN: 1751-7362
eISSN: 1751-7370
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2017.60
Web address : 10.1038/ismej.2017.60
Abstract
The study of host-associated microbial community composition has suggested the presence of alternative community types. We discuss three mechanisms that could explain these observations. The most commonly invoked mechanism links community types to a response to environmental change; alternatively, community types were shown to emerge from interactions between members of local communities sampled from a metacommunity. Here, we emphasize multi-stability as a third mechanism, giving rise to different community types in the same environmental conditions. We illustrate with a toy model how multi-stability can generate community types and discuss the consequences of multi-stability for data interpretation.
The study of host-associated microbial community composition has suggested the presence of alternative community types. We discuss three mechanisms that could explain these observations. The most commonly invoked mechanism links community types to a response to environmental change; alternatively, community types were shown to emerge from interactions between members of local communities sampled from a metacommunity. Here, we emphasize multi-stability as a third mechanism, giving rise to different community types in the same environmental conditions. We illustrate with a toy model how multi-stability can generate community types and discuss the consequences of multi-stability for data interpretation.
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