Plant-Microbiome Interaction

The functioning of the food web microbiome provides an essential ‘ecosystem service’ for the host plant - it releases carbon (C) and nutrients from captured prey that the plant can utilize. Invertebrates (midge larvae) shred prey into particles and bacterial extracellular digestive enzymes degrade and mineralize nutrients for host plant uptake. Additionally, the mosquito larvae acts as a top predator - by consuming protozoa, there are less predation on the bacteria. This so-called "top-down effect" allows more bacteria to be in the system, which increases the rate of insect decomposition. The host clearly depends on the microbiome to degrade and release nutrients for plant uptake; however, it is unknown how host plant nutrient status might feed back to affect microbiome composition and/or function.