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SUMMARY:Predictability and unpredictability in the dynamics of nutrient-cy
 cling microbial ecosystems - Allen\, R (University of Edinburgh)
DTSTART:20140326T110000Z
DTEND:20140326T114500Z
UID:TALK51641@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Mustapha Amrani
DESCRIPTION:Co-authors: Timothy Bush (School of Physics and Astronomy\, Un
 iversity of Edinburgh)\, Eulyn Pagaling (School of Physics and Astronomy\,
  University of Edinburgh)\, Fiona Strathdee (School of Biological Sciences
 \, University of Edinburgh)\, Andrew Free (School of Biological Sciences\,
  University of Edinburgh) \n\nMicrobial communities mediate crucial biogeo
 chemical\, biomedical and biotechnological processes\, yet our understandi
 ng of their assembly\, and our ability to control its outcome\, remain poo
 r. We investigate experimentally whether microbial ecosystem assembly is p
 redictable\, or inherently unpredictable. In our experiments\, source micr
 obial communities colonize a pristine microcosm environment to form comple
 x\, nutrient-cycling ecosystems. We find that when the source communities 
 colonize a novel environment\, final community composition and function ar
 e unpredictable\, but when the source communities are pre-conditioned to t
 heir new habitat\, community development is more reproducible. Our results
  suggest strategies for improving the design of complex microbial communit
 ies for biotechnological applications. I will also discuss recent attempts
  to construct mathematical models for the dynamics of our microcosm commun
 ities\, and to use them to predict the sensitivity of microbial ecosystems
  to environmental change. \n
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Newton Institute
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