Investigating macroecological patterns in coarse-grained microbial communities using the stochastic logistic model of growth

• DOI: 10.7554/elife.89650
• Publication Date: 2023-08-21T13:09:19Z
• Authors: William R Shoemaker; Jacopo Grilli
• Keywords: Null model; Macroecology; Phylogenetic diversity; Community; Taxonomic rank

The structure and diversity of microbial communities are intrinsically hierarchical due to the shared evolutionary history their constituents. This is typically captured through taxonomic assignment phylogenetic reconstruction, sources information that frequently used group microbes into higher levels organization in experimental natural communities. Connecting community joint ecological dynamics abundances these groups a central problem ecology. However, how depends on scale observation at which defined has never been systematically examined. Here, we macroecological approach quantitatively characterize among disparate environments across scales. We found measures biodiversity given can be consistently predicted using minimal model ecology, Stochastic Logistic Model growth (SLM). result suggests SLM more appropriate null-model for than alternatives such as Unified Neutral Theory Biodiversity. Extending within-scale results, examined relationship between calculated different scales (e.g. genus vs. family), an empirical pattern previously evaluated context Diversity Begets (DBD) hypothesis (Madi et al., 2020). richness estimates assuming independence members, demonstrating DBD sufficiently explained null Contrastingly, only by including correlations members consequence interactions) predict results this study novel patterns establish sharp demarcation recently proposed not affected interactions.