2026-05-07 京都大学
初期のゆらぎが創発する全く異なる群集構成。©︎藤野雅也
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/ja/research-news/2026-05-07-4
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ele.70388
微⽣物群集形成過程における確率的な駆動⼒：初期群集サイズが決定する多様な群集遷移 Stochastic Forces in Microbial Community Assembly: Founding Community Size Governs Divergent Ecological Trajectories
Ibuki Hayashi, Martina Sánchez-Pinillos, Hirokazu Toju
Ecology Letters Published: 03 May 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.70388
ABSTRACT
Biological community dynamics arise from both deterministic and stochastic processes. While species’ responses to environmental factors define attractors of community structure, stochasticity, particularly during early assembly, can redirect ecological trajectories. However, quantifying such roles of stochasticity in community assembly has remained challenging. We tracked community assembly in two multi-replicated experimental systems, each with four levels of founding community size, analysing > 3000 samples across four time points. Stronger initial stochasticity led to greater divergence of both population- and community-level consequences. Strikingly, conspicuous differentiation into alternative trajectories of community assembly occurred when the absolute number of founding prokaryotic cells was less than the order of 104. Thus, quantitative differences in stochasticity produced qualitative differences in community fate. These results demonstrate that early stochastic events can have enduring impacts on ecological dynamics. Deeper quantitative insights into stochasticity will reorganise our views on biological invasions, agroecosystem microbiome management, and therapeutics of human-associated microbiomes.
