Long-Term Cellulose Enrichment Selects for Highly Cellulolytic Consortia and Competition for Public Goods

Abstract

Microbial communities are a key driver of the carbon cycle through the breakdown of complex polysaccharides in diverse environments including soil, marine systems, and the mammalian gut. However, due to the complexity of these communities, the species-species interactions that impact community structure and ultimately shape the rate of decomposition are difficult to define.