Caenorhabditis elegans populations shape their microbial environment-PCME

The boom-bust cycle of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) plays a crucial role in shaping the microbial community of soil ecosystems. Upon encountering favorable conditions, dauer larvae of C. elegans resume development and rapidly proliferate, initiating a population boom. During proliferative phase, the worms influence microbial community, primarily by grazing and may be bacteria proliferate on dead worms. This alters the composition of the microbiome, especially reducing the abundance of Pseudomonadaceae. As microbial resources become depleted, a bust phase ensues, characterized by a drastic decline in the C. elegans population due to limited food availability. The dynamic shifts in microbial community structure driven by the boom-bust cycle of C. elegans highlight the intricate interdependencies within soil ecosystems.