Thiocyanate and organic carbon inputs drive convergent selection for specific autotrophic Afipia and Thiobacillus strains within complex microbiomes

Thiocyanate (SCN) contamination threatens aquatic ecosystems and pollutes vital fresh water supplies. SCN degrading microbial consortia are commercially deployed for remediation, but the impact of organic amendments on selection within SCN degrading microbial communities has not been investigated. Here, we tested whether specific strains capable of degrading SCN could be reproducibly selected for based on SCN loading and the presence or absence of added organic carbon.