Over the Earth’s history, microorganisms have evolved distinct ecological strategies to capture resources, grow, tolerate stress and interact with other micro- and macroorganisms. These so-called life-history strategies emerge from combinations of physiological traits that are shaped by local environmental conditions and biotic interactions. Viewing soil microbial communities from this angle is an opportunity to move beyond taxonomic patterns and broad classifications towards a deeper understanding of how functionally diverse taxa co-exist and, ultimately, how they influence ecosystem processes such as carbon and nitrogen cycling.
This session examines how microbial traits, functional groups and community assembly shape nutrient and biogeochemical cycling, ecosystem processes and resilience to natural and anthropogenic disturbance. Of particular interest are studies testing trait-based and life-history frameworks, identifying shifts in microbial strategies across environmental gradients or land-use changes. Contributions regarding individual microorganisms to complex communities, combining experimental, genomic or modelling approaches, are encouraged.