Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/S000771/1
Determining causal links between interaction type and network structure in microbial communities
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor A Buckling, University of Exeter, Biosciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor MA Brockhurst, The University of Manchester, School of Biological Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor FJF Van Veen, University of Exeter, Biosciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor E Westra, University of Exeter, Biosciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr B Temperton, University of Exeter, Biosciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Exeter, Biosciences
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Panel C
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Global Change
- Pollution and Waste
- Science Topics:
- Community Ecology
- Evolution & populations
- Microbiology
- Abstract:
- Ecological communities exist as networks of interacting species, and the structure of these networks determine their stability and function. Observational studies suggest that network structure depends upon whether interactions between species are predominantly mutualistic or antagonistic, however the causality of this relationship remains unclear. Here, we will use communities of bacteria and their symbiotic plasmids to experimentally determine how interaction type (mutualistic versus antagonistic) affects community network structure. Our system is ideal to address these questions because bacteria-plasmid interactions can be switched from antagonistic to mutualistic through simple environmental manipulations (the addition of antibiotics to which the plasmids confer resistance), and changes in community network structure can be observed over a matter of weeks. The large-scale of this project is made possible by the application of a novel culture-free method, epicPCR, which allows high-throughput assessment of bacteria-plasmid associations. The predicted role of ecological stability, as well as novel eco-evolutionary mechanisms, underpinning the interaction type-network structure relationships will be assessed by a combination of phenotypic and genetic experiments complemented by theory.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/S000771/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Standard Grant FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Standard Grant
This grant award has a total value of £559,461
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| DI - Other Costs | Indirect - Indirect Costs | DA - Investigators | DA - Estate Costs | DI - Staff | DA - Other Directly Allocated | DI - T&S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £115,253 | £116,808 | £64,668 | £40,827 | £183,333 | £30,566 | £8,008 |
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