ETH Zurich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland.
Graz University of Technology, Graz, 8010, Austria.
Commun Biol. 2023 Mar 25;6(1):322. doi: 10.1038/s42003-023-04703-7.
Earth's diverse soil microbiomes host bacteria within dynamic and fragmented aqueous habitats that occupy complex pore spaces and restrict the spatial range of ecological interactions. Yet, the spatial distributions of bacterial cells in soil communities remain underexplored. Here, we propose a modelling framework representing submillimeter-scale distributions of soil bacteria based on physical constraints supported by individual-based model results and direct observations. The spatial distribution of bacterial cell clusters modulates various metabolic interactions and soil microbiome functioning. Dry soils with long diffusion times limit localized interactions of the sparse communities. Frequently wet soils enable long-range trophic interactions between dense cell clusters through connected aqueous pathways. Biomes with high carbon inputs promote large and dense cell clusters where anoxic microsites form even in aerated soils. Micro-geographic considerations of difficult-to-observe microbial processes can improve the interpretation of data from bulk soil samples.
地球多样的土壤微生物组在动态和碎片化的水生生境中承载着细菌，这些生境占据着复杂的孔隙空间，并限制了生态相互作用的空间范围。然而，土壤群落中细菌细胞的空间分布仍未得到充分探索。在这里，我们提出了一个基于个体为基础的模型结果和直接观测所支持的物理约束的建模框架，来代表土壤细菌的亚毫米级分布。细菌细胞簇的空间分布调节着各种代谢相互作用和土壤微生物组的功能。扩散时间长的干燥土壤限制了稀疏群落的局部相互作用。频繁湿润的土壤则通过连通的水路径使密集的细胞簇之间能够进行长程营养相互作用。高碳输入的生物群落促进了大而密集的细胞簇的形成，即使在充气土壤中也会形成缺氧微生境。对难以观察到的微生物过程的微观地理考虑可以改善对来自原状土壤样本数据的解释。
