From Alien Species to Alien Communities: Host- and Habitat-Associated Microbiomes in an Alien Amphibian

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • F. Leonhardt - , Chair of Didactics of Biology, Senckenberg Natural Historical Collections Dresden (Author)
  • Alexander Keller - , Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (Author)
  • Clara Arranz Aveces - , State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart (Author)
  • R. Ernst - , TUD Dresden University of Technology, Senckenberg Natural Historical Collections Dresden (Author)

Abstract

Alien species can host diverse microbial communities. These associated microbiomes may be important in the invasion process and their analysis requires a holistic community-based approach. We analysed the skin and gut microbiome of Eleutherodactylus johnstonei from native range populations in St Lucia and exotic range populations in Guadeloupe, Colombia, and European greenhouses along with their respective environmental microbial reservoir through a 16S metabarcoding approach. We show that amphibian-associated and environmental microbial communities can be considered as meta-communities that interact in the assembly process. High proportions of bacteria can disperse between frogs and environment, while respective abundances are rather determined by niche effects driven by the microbial community source and spatial environmental properties. Environmental transmissions appeared to have higher relevance for skin than for gut microbiome composition and variation. We encourage further experimental studies to assess the implications of turnover in amphibian-associated microbial communities and potentially invasive microbiota in the context of invasion success and impacts. Within this novel framework of “nested invasions,” (meta-)community ecology thinking can complement and widen the traditional perspective on biological invasions.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2373–2385
Number of pages13
JournalMicrobial Ecology
Volume86
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85160256192

Keywords

Keywords

  • Environmental microbiota, Microbial biogeography, Amphibian microbiome, Meta-communities, Gut microbiome, Skin microbiome