Data from: Cyanobacteria drive community composition and functionality in rock-soil interface communities

Most ecological research on hypoliths, significant primary producers in
hyperarid deserts, has focused on the diversity of individual groups of
microbes (i.e. bacteria). However, microbial communities are inherently
complex, and the interactions between cyanobacteria, heterotrophic
bacteria, protista and metazoa, are likely to be very important for
ecosystem functioning. Cyanobacterial and heterotrophic bacterial
communities were analysed by pyrosequencing, while metazoan and protistan
communities were assessed by T-RFLP analysis. Microbial functionality was
estimated using carbon substrate utilization. Cyanobacterial community
composition was significant in shaping community structure and function in
hypoliths. Ecological network analysis showed that most significant
co-occurrences were positive, representing potential synergistic
interactions. There were several highly interconnected associations
(modules) and specific cyanobacteria were important in driving the modular
structure of hypolithic networks. Together, our results suggest that
hypolithic cyanobacteria have strong effects on higher trophic levels and
ecosystem functioning.