Stochasticity in microbiology: managing unpredictability to reach the Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

Summary Pure (single) cultures of microorganisms and mixed microbial communities (microbiomes) have been important for centuries in providing renewable energy, clean water and food products to human society and will continue to play a crucial role to pursue the Sustainable Development Goals. To use microorganisms effectively, microbial engineered processes require adequate control. Microbial communities are shaped by manageable deterministic processes, but also by stochastic processes, which can promote unforeseeable variations and adaptations. Here, we highlight the impact of stochasticity in single culture and microbiome engineering. First, we discuss the concepts and mechanisms of stochasticity in relation to microbial ecology of single cultures and microbiomes. Second, we discuss the consequences of stochasticity in relation to process performance and human health, which are reflected in key disadvantages and important opportunities. Third, we propose a suitable decision tool to deal with stochasticity in which monitoring of stochasticity and setting the boundaries of stochasticity by regulators are central aspects. Stochasticity may give rise to some risks, such as the presence of pathogens in microbiomes. We argue here that by taking the necessary precautions and through clever monitoring and interpretation, these risks can be mitigated.

The effect of periodic disturbances and carrying capacity on the significance of selection and drift in complex bacterial communities

“…Disturbances usually involve alterations in the available resources or the biomass concentration in the given environment. To predict the consequence of disturbances on the dynamics of microbial communities , it is essential to understand how the disturbance influences the four assembly processes' relative contributions [7,10]. Some studies have shown that disturbances affect the relative contribution of the assembly processes [11,[20][21][22][23][24][25], but conclusions vary depending on the disturbance type and the ecosystem studied.…”

The effect of periodic disturbances and carrying capacity on the significance of selection and drift in complex bacterial communities

“…Disturbances usually involve alterations in the available resources or the biomass concentration in the given environment. To predict the consequence of disturbances on the dynamics of microbial communities, it is essential to understand how the disturbance influences the four assembly processes' relative contributions (7,10). Some studies have shown that disturbances affect the relative contribution of the assembly processes (e.g.…”

Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Cheese Whey and Industrial Hemp Residues Opens New Perspectives for the Valorization of Agri-Food Waste

“…In this context, the implementation of new sustainable bio-based technologies is needed to produce clean, renewable energy and recover resources from organic waste. Despite the multitude of strategies that have been developed to valorize the energy content of organic feedstocks, anaerobic digestion (AD) still represents the most widely applied process due to its high efficiency, operational flexibility and overall environmental benefits [4,5] offered as compared to other biorefinery approaches.…”