The role of microbiodiversity in conservation: insights from ecosystem metataxonomics

As microbial communities hosted in various body niches (microbiota) are of recognized importance to individual health, the maintenance of such microbiodiversity in natural ecosystems could impact the conservation status of animal species. Metataxonomy using amplicon sequencing has become the standard for characterizing the diversity and composition of microbial communities associated with multicellular organisms and their environment, and numerous studies have now shown that human- and climate-mediated behavioural and dietary changes in wild animal populations are associated with changes in microbiota richness and composition. However, identifying the interactions between the microbiotas within the same ecosystem (i.e. those of water, soil, plants and animals) is essential for fully understanding the role of microorganisms in evolutionary and ecological processes. Comparative studies across such diverse biological samples are rare, due to potential biases during sample processing. Here we discuss the technical adjustments that can be applied to support direct comparisons of microbiota composition, using a terrestrial alpine ecosystem as a case study. We also show how microbial communities from 900 samples (1900 libraries) of wild vertebrates and invertebrates vary with those of domestic breeds and environmental microbiotas (soil and rhizosphere) across an altitudinal gradient, with implications for microdiversity conservation in light of climate and land use change

Microbial communities in different components of an Alpine grassland ecosystem

Aim: Biodiversity is a central keyword of the 21st century and is gaining even increasing attention in the light of global change. Whereas traditional concepts of studying microbial diversity consider individual components or taxa in a given habitat (e.g. bulk soil, plants, earthworms), these concepts neglect that complex interactions and co-occurrences of microbial communities may exist between these components. Methods: The prokaryotic and fungal community composition of different sample types (components), including bulk soil, rhizosphere soil of Carex spp. and Festuca spp., members of the micro- (nematodes), meso- (collembolans), and macro- (earthworms, ground and rove beetles) fauna, as well as fecal samples of wild mammals (hare, deer) and domestic livestock (cattle, equids) are investigated by amplicon sequencing along an elevational gradient from 1000 to 2500 m a.s.l. A meta-dataset of soil properties, soil microbial and meteorological data contributes to the interpretation of the community data of the almost 2000 samples within the alpine grassland ecosystem. Results: Soil, rhizosphere and faunal samples each have unique microbial communities, but these microbiota overlap to different degrees, depending on functional traits, trophic relationships and elevation. Our data indicate connections between microbial communities of different ecosystem components and that certain animals can serve as vectors for various microorganisms. Generally, results reveal key drivers for the microbial biodiversity within the different components of alpine grasslands. Conclusions: Our data prove – even across the elevation gradient – connected microbial communities in alpine pastures and allow conclusions about the sensitivity of the complex interactions especially in light of climate chang

Interactions of plant growth-promoting microbes with (soil) animals in Alpine pastures

The soils of Alpine pastures provide diverse habitats for animals, plants and microorganisms and are known as hotspots for biodiversity. In particular, soil microbes have a significant role in soil function. The international project MICROVALU is evaluating the microbial diversity in Alpine pastures by analyzing different components of the soil food web including soil, rhizosphere soil, invertebrate fauna and fecal samples of dominant above-ground mammals and tries to provide a more complete understanding of the relationship between soil organisms and their effect on soil processes. The association of plants with plant growth-promoting microbes (PGPM) is substantial for plants to cope environmental stress, e.g. caused by climate change, and is essential for fruitful and sustainable agriculture in Alpine regions. Therefore, in addition to assessing overall microbial diversity patterns, we are focusing on possible driving factors for the abundance and composition of PGPM that live in close association with the roots of plants. These organisms provide the plant with beneficial services ranging from nitrogen fixation and phosphate solubilization, to phytopathogen suppression via antibiotic production, resulting in better plant growth, faster germination, enhanced root growth, and higher resistance against abiotic and biotic stress. Since the impact of factors like elevation, temperature, drought and interactions and/or transmissions via the soil fauna on PGPM is limited, this particular study is also ground-breaking. For this study, samples from bulk soil, rhizosphere soil of two common plant genera in Alpine pastures (Carex spp. and Festuca spp.), belowground fauna (micro-, meso- and macrofauna) and fecal pellets of above ground fauna (wild animals and domestic livestock), were collected along an elevational gradient of an inner-Alpine valley from below to above the treeline (1000-2500 m a.s.l.). Microbial abundance, community composition, and diversity were determined in all sample types, and special focus is now being paid on the abundance and diversity of PGPM. Our results will identify the associations of PGPM in the rhizosphere and the associations and possible transmission of PGPM between soil and soil animals in Alpine pastures under changing environmental conditions

Interactions among soil organisms of the Alpine pasture ecosystem

An intact soil ecosystem is the basis for sustainable agriculture and hence human wellbeing. Soil microorganisms, plants and animals play many different roles in soil ecosystems, yet live in direct contact with one another. In fact, the composition of these communities impacts soil fertility and structure, important to nutrient cycling and plant health. In addition to soil microorganisms, all plant and animal species living in the soil host their own microbial communities; however, if and how these microbial communities interact with each other is almost completely unexplored. Ongoing climate change scenarios have recently increased the awareness of the importance of soil biodiversity and expected changes in response to altered environmental conditions, and Alpine soils are predicted to undergo even more drastic changes in the near future. So far, no study has investigated the combined impacts of biotic interactions and abiotic/climatic factors on the biodiversity of soil organisms in vulnerable Alpine soils. The EUREGIO project MICROVALU is evaluating the prokaryotic and fungal diversity of the main inhabitants of Alpine pasture ecosystems to provide a more complete understanding of the relationships between soil organisms and their effect on soil processes. For this study, samples of bulk soil, rhizosphere soil of two plant genera (Carex spp. and Festuca spp.), microfauna (nematodes), mesofauna (collembolans) and macrofauna (earthworms and beetles), as well as fecal pellets of above ground fauna (wild mammals and domestic livestock) were collected along an elevational gradient of an inner-Alpine valley (1000 - 2500 m a.s.l.). Microbial community composition of all samples was determined using our laboratory protocols optimized here for the first time to permit the comparison of microbiota from diverse matrices. Our results indicate that each sample type harbors a unique core microbiota, overlapping to a different extent with other members of the ecosystem. Combining microbial community data with abiotic soil properties and climatic factors along an elevational gradient gives new insights into the microbial co-occurrences of soil members among changing environmental and climatic condition

Changes in carabid species distribution, body traits and associated microbiota along an elevational gradient

Aim: Climate warming is affecting Alpine habitats through an above-global average increase in temperature. Such rapid environmental change can affect biotic interactions, impacting ecosystem stability and functionality; however, these processes in mountain regions are not well understood. We used an elevation gradient ranging from 1000 to 2500 m a.s.l. as a proxy for climate change to examine the diversity of carabid beetle species, body traits and microbiota. Methods: On 12 grazed pasture sites (3 replicate sites every 500 m of altitude), we installed and checked pitfall traps for 24 hours every two weeks throughout the growing season. Almost 6000 individuals were morphologically identified to species, and body length, wing development and sex were noted. In June 2020, 182 carabid beetles were captured by hand, and used for microbial community analysis. Results: Community composition, diversity, and the ratio between winged and wingless species of carabid beetles changed significantly with elevation, but not in a linear pattern (ie. highest species biodiversity at 1000 m; lowest diversity and largest body size at 2000 m). Carabids established individual-specific but still elevation-dependent patterns in prokaryotic and fungal communities. Prokaryotic communities were similar below 2000 m but changed at higher elevations and fungal diversity was highest at 2000 m. Conclusions: We discuss how changes in species assemblages and body traits may alter the functional role of carabid beetles in mountain ecosystems, and how alterations in their microbiota might impact their ability to adapt to rapid environmental perturbation

Bacterial and fungal diversity of Alpine pastures

Alpine pastures are a complex, multidimensional terrestrial habitat in which animal and plant species interact with each other and with large numbers of bacteria and fungi (microbiota), forming an ecological network that extends both above ground and within the soil. Although soil-, plant-, and animal-associated microbiota are known to provide fundamental services for their hosts, microbial diversity of ecosystems in general, and Alpine pastures in particular, is still largely unexplored. In addition, the extent to which climate changes in Europe and especially in the Alpine space will impact such micro-biodiversity is completely unknown. Here, we investigated changes in bacterial and fungal diversity associated with more than 900 samples of soil, rhi- zosphere (Carex spp. and Festuca spp.), invertebrates (nematodes, collembolans, earthworms, beetles) and vertebrates (using faecal eDNA of hares, wild ungulates and livestock) along an elevational gradient spanning 1,500 metres (a proxy for climate change). Characterization of bacterial and fungal communities of each sample was performed by targeting the bacterial 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 region and the fungal ITS2 loci as barcodes for amplicon sequencing-based meta-taxonomics. Diversity metrics of ASVs (amplicon sequence variants) and phylogenetic distances (Bray-Curtis, Unifrac) were used in redundancy analyses (db-RDA) to compare microbiota composition across sample types and elevation gradient. We found that soil, plant, invertebrate, and vertebrate microbiota were characterized by only partially overlapping bacterial and fungal communities, displaying specific associations with host, elevation, temperature, nutrient availability, and plant community composition. Fae- cal microbiota of wild and farmed animals revealed different patterns across bacterial and fungal microbiota, with bacterial communities being markedly shaped by host-interaction dynamics, and fungal communities showing closer associations with habitat and elevation. Analyses of fungal and bacterial taxa shared between sample types established greater overlaps between soil, rhizosphere and soil-dwelling invertebrates, compared to other invertebrates and vertebrates, highlighting above/ belowground and host/habitat-specific associations in the Alpine meta-community

When workplace unionism in global value chains does not function well : exploring the impediments

Improving working conditions at the bottom of global value chains has become a central issue in our global economy. In this battle, trade unionism has been presented as a way for workers to make their voices heard. Therefore, it is strongly promoted by most social standards. However, establishing a well-functioning trade union is not as obvious as it may seem. Using a comparative case study approach, we examine impediments to farm-level unionism in the cut flower industry in Ethiopia. For this purpose, we propose an integrated framework combining two lenses, namely a vertical one (governance and structure of global value chains) and a horizontal one (socio-economic context). We identify 10 impediments that point to three major dimensions contributing to unionisation. These three dimensions include awareness of and interest from workers, legitimacy of trade unions, and capacity of trade unions to act. Furthermore, our results suggest that private social standards may, in certain cases, be counterproductive for the efficient functioning of trade unions. Although we argue that there is no ‘quick fix’ solution to weak workplace unionism at the bottom of global value chains, we stress the importance of considering the dynamics of, and interactions between, the impediments when designing potential support measures that mitigate negative impacts

Emerging IT risks: insights from German banking

How do German banks manage the emerging risks stemming from IT innovations such as cyber risk? With a focus on process, roles and responsibilities, field data from ten banks participating in the 2014 ECB stress test were collected by interviewing IT managers, risk managers and external experts. Current procedures for handling emerging risks in German banks were identified from the interviews and analysed, guided by the extant literature. A clear gap was found between enterprise risk management (ERM) as a general approach to risks threatening firms’ objectives and ERM’s neglect of emerging risks, such as those associated with IT innovations. The findings suggest that ERM should be extended towards the collection and sharing of knowledge to allow for an initial understanding and description of emerging risks, as opposed to the traditional ERM approach involving estimates of impact and probability. For example, as cyber risks emerge from an IT innovation, the focus may need to switch towards reducing uncertainty through knowledge acquisition. Since individual managers seldom possess all relevant knowledge of an IT innovation, various stakeholders may need to be involved to exploit their expertise

Large-scale mapping of mutations affecting zebrafish development

BACKGROUND: Large-scale mutagenesis screens in the zebrafish employing the mutagen ENU have isolated several hundred mutant loci that represent putative developmental control genes. In order to realize the potential of such screens, systematic genetic mapping of the mutations is necessary. Here we report on a large-scale effort to map the mutations generated in mutagenesis screening at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology by genome scanning with microsatellite markers. RESULTS: We have selected a set of microsatellite markers and developed methods and scoring criteria suitable for efficient, high-throughput genome scanning. We have used these methods to successfully obtain a rough map position for 319 mutant loci from the Tübingen I mutagenesis screen and subsequent screening of the mutant collection. For 277 of these the corresponding gene is not yet identified. Mapping was successful for 80 % of the tested loci. By comparing 21 mutation and gene positions of cloned mutations we have validated the correctness of our linkage group assignments and estimated the standard error of our map positions to be approximately 6 cM. CONCLUSION: By obtaining rough map positions for over 300 zebrafish loci with developmental phenotypes, we have generated a dataset that will be useful not only for cloning of the affected genes, but also to suggest allelism of mutations with similar phenotypes that will be identified in future screens. Furthermore this work validates the usefulness of our methodology for rapid, systematic and inexpensive microsatellite mapping of zebrafish mutations

Growth and retreat of the last British–Irish Ice Sheet, 31 000 to 15 000 years ago: the BRITICE-CHRONO reconstruction

The BRITICE-CHRONO consortium of researchers undertook a dating programme to constrain the timing of advance, maximum extent and retreat of the British?Irish Ice Sheet between 31?000 and 15?000?years before present. The dating campaign across Ireland and Britain and their continental shelves, and across the North Sea included 1500?days of field investigation yielding 18?000?km of marine geophysical data, 377 cores of sea floor sediments, and geomorphological and stratigraphical information at 121 sites on land; generating 690 new geochronometric ages. These findings are reported in 28 publications including synthesis into eight transect reconstructions. Here we build ice sheet-wide reconstructions consistent with these findings and using retreat patterns and dates for the inter-transect areas. Two reconstructions are presented, a wholly empirical version and a version that combines modelling with the new empirical evidence. Palaeoglaciological maps of ice extent, thickness, velocity, and flow geometry at thousand-year timesteps are presented. The maximum ice volume of 1.8?m sea level equivalent occurred at 23?ka. A larger extent than previously defined is found and widespread advance of ice to the continental shelf break is confirmed during the last glacial. Asynchrony occurred in the timing of maximum extent and onset of retreat, ranging from 30 to 22?ka. The tipping point of deglaciation at 22?ka was triggered by ice stream retreat and saddle collapses. Analysis of retreat rates leads us to accept our hypothesis that the marine-influenced sectors collapsed rapidly. First order controls on ice-sheet demise were glacio-isostatic loading triggering retreat of marine sectors, aided by glaciological instabilities and then climate warming finished off the smaller, terrestrial ice sheet. Overprinted on this signal were second order controls arising from variations in trough topographies and with sector-scale ice geometric readjustments arising from dispositions in the geography of the landscape. These second order controls produced a stepped deglaciation. The retreat of the British?Irish Ice Sheet is now the world?s most well-constrained and a valuable data-rich environment for improving ice-sheet modelling