title: Trophic network architecture of root-associated bacterial communities determines pathogen invasion and plant health.
abstract: Host-associated bacterial communities can function as an important line of defence against pathogens in animals and plants. Empirical evidence and theoretical predictions suggest that species-rich communities are more resistant to pathogen invasions. Yet, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we experimentally test how the underlying resource competition networks of resident bacterial communities affect invasion resistance to the plant pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum in microcosms and in tomato plant rhizosphere. We find that bipartite resource competition networks are better predictors of invasion resistance compared with resident community diversity. Specifically, communities with a combination of stabilizing configurations (low nestedness and high connectance), and a clear niche overlap with the pathogen, reduce pathogen invasion success, constrain pathogen growth within invaded communities and have lower levels of diseased plants in greenhouse experiments. Bacterial resource competition network characteristics can thus be important in explaining positive diversity-invasion resistance relationships in bacterial rhizosphere communities.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Zhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Tianjie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK.|Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK.
authors.forename: Ville-Petri
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Friman
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Yangchun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Qirong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China.|Institute for Environmental Biology, Ecology &Biodiversity, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jousset
mesh_terms: D060467:Disease Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000382:microbiology*; D056265:Microbial Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D064307:Microbiota / Q000502:physiology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology*; D043368:Ralstonia solanacearum / Q000502:physiology*; D058441:Rhizosphere; D012988:Soil Microbiology