Using Network Science to better understand microbiology.

Abstract Earthworms are considered ecosystem engineers due to their fundamental impact on soil structure, soil processes and on other soil biota. An invasion of non-native earthworm species has altered soils of North America since European settlement, a process currently expanding into still earthworm-free forest ecosystems due to continuous spread and increasing soil temperatures owing to climate change. Although earthworms are known to modify soil microbial diversity and activity, it is as yet unclear how eukaryote consumers in soil microbial food webs will be affected.

Marine fungi are an important component of pelagic planktonic communities. However, it is not yet clear how individual fungal taxa are integrated in marine processes of the microbial loop and food webs. Most likely, biotic interactions play a major role in shaping the fungal community structure.

The increase in human population has fueled demand for pollination services; the resulting intensification and globalization of honey bee management has coincided with increased pathogen pressure. We hypothesized that Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) can alter host social behavior, predicting different behavioral changes depending on social context.