The effect of immigration on the adaptation of microbial communities to warming
File(s)
Published version
Accepted version
Author(s)
Barraclough, TG
Lawrence, D
Bell, T
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Theory predicts that immigration can either enhance or impair the rate at which species and whole communities adapt to environmental change, depending on the traits of genotypes and
species in the source pool relative to local conditions. These responses in turn will determine how well whole communities function in changing environments. We tested the effects of
immigration and experimental warming on microbial communities during an 81 day field experiment. The effects of immigration depended on the warming treatment. In warmed communities immigration was detrimental to community growth whereas in ambient communities it was beneficial. This result is explained if colonists came from a local species pool pre-adapted to ambient conditions. Loss of metabolic diversity, however, was buffered
by immigration in both environments. Communities showed increasing local adaptation to temperature conditions during the experiment and this was independent of whether or not they received immigration. Genotypes that comprised the communities were not locally adapted, however, indicating that community local adaptation can be independent of adaptation of component genotypes. Our results are consistent with a greater role for species
interactions rather than adaptation of constituent species in determining local adaptation of whole communities, and confirm that immigration can either enhance or impair community responses to environmental change depending on the environmental context.
species in the source pool relative to local conditions. These responses in turn will determine how well whole communities function in changing environments. We tested the effects of
immigration and experimental warming on microbial communities during an 81 day field experiment. The effects of immigration depended on the warming treatment. In warmed communities immigration was detrimental to community growth whereas in ambient communities it was beneficial. This result is explained if colonists came from a local species pool pre-adapted to ambient conditions. Loss of metabolic diversity, however, was buffered
by immigration in both environments. Communities showed increasing local adaptation to temperature conditions during the experiment and this was independent of whether or not they received immigration. Genotypes that comprised the communities were not locally adapted, however, indicating that community local adaptation can be independent of adaptation of component genotypes. Our results are consistent with a greater role for species
interactions rather than adaptation of constituent species in determining local adaptation of whole communities, and confirm that immigration can either enhance or impair community responses to environmental change depending on the environmental context.
Date Issued
2015-12-16
Date Acceptance
2015-08-27
Citation
American Naturalist, 2015, 187 (2)
ISSN
1537-5323
Publisher
University of Chicago Press
Journal / Book Title
American Naturalist
Volume
187
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2015 University of Chicago Press.
Sponsor
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
The Royal Society
Grant Number
NE/F021291/1
UF090325
Subjects
adaptation
experimental evolution
immigration
local adaptation
microbial communities
warming
Ecology
06 Biological Sciences
Publication Status
Published