Title
Ocean biogeochemistry modeled with emergent trait-based genomics
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-2017
Abstract
Marine ecosystem models have advanced to incorporate metabolic pathways discovered with genomic sequencing, but direct comparisons between models and “omics” data are lacking. We developed a model that directly simulates metagenomes and metatranscriptomes for comparison with observations. Model microbes were randomly assigned genes for specialized functions, and communities of 68 species were simulated in the Atlantic Ocean. Unfit organisms were replaced, and the model self-organized to develop community genomes and transcriptomes. Emergent communities from simulations that were initialized with different cohorts of randomly generated microbes all produced realistic vertical and horizontal ocean nutrient, genome, and transcriptome gradients. Thus, the library of gene functions available to the community, rather than the distribution of functions among specific organisms, drove community assembly and biogeochemical gradients in the model ocean.
Publication Title
Science
Volume
358
Issue
6367
First Page
1149
Last Page
1154
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1126/science.aan5712
PubMed ID
29191900
ISSN
00368075
E-ISSN
10959203
Citation Information
Coles, V. J.; Stukel, M. R.; Brooks, M. T.; Burd, A.; Crump, B. C.; Moran, M. A.; Paul, J. H.; Satinsky, B. M.; Yager, P. L.; Zielinski, B. L.; and Hood, R. R., "Ocean biogeochemistry modeled with emergent trait-based genomics" (2017). UNF Faculty Publications. 1730.
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/unf_faculty_publications/1730