TY - JOUR
T1 - Prominent effect of soil network heterogeneity on microbial invasion
AU - Perez-Reche, Francisco J.
AU - Taraskin, Sergei N.
AU - Otten, Wilfred
AU - Viana, M. P.
AU - Costa, Luciano da F.
AU - Gilligan, Christopher A.
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Using a network representation for real soil samples and mathematical models for microbial spread, we show that the structural heterogeneity of the soil habitat may have a very significant influence on the size of microbial invasions of the soil pore space. In particular, neglecting the soil structural heterogeneity may lead to a substantial underestimation of microbial invasion. Such effects are explained in terms of a crucial interplay between heterogeneity in microbial spread and heterogeneity in the topology of soil networks. The main influence of network topology on invasion is linked to the existence of long channels in soil networks that may act as bridges for transmission of microorganisms between distant parts of soil.
AB - Using a network representation for real soil samples and mathematical models for microbial spread, we show that the structural heterogeneity of the soil habitat may have a very significant influence on the size of microbial invasions of the soil pore space. In particular, neglecting the soil structural heterogeneity may lead to a substantial underestimation of microbial invasion. Such effects are explained in terms of a crucial interplay between heterogeneity in microbial spread and heterogeneity in the topology of soil networks. The main influence of network topology on invasion is linked to the existence of long channels in soil networks that may act as bridges for transmission of microorganisms between distant parts of soil.
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.098102
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.098102
M3 - Article
VL - 109
JO - Physical Review Letters
JF - Physical Review Letters
SN - 0031-9007
IS - 9
M1 - 098102
ER -