A recent study investigates the impact of biotic resistance and dispersal on microbial invasions, revealing that resident species can inhibit invaders through interactions, a phenomenon termed 'biotic resistance.'

Microbes, due to their small size, can easily disperse across various environments; however, they often struggle to establish themselves in habitats already occupied by resident species that inhibit their growth.

To explore these dynamics, experiments were conducted using simplified microbial systems, which identified three distinct invasion patterns: consistent, pulsed, and pinned invasions, each influenced by levels of biotic resistance and dispersal rates.

In consistent invasions, the invader spreads continuously, while pulsed invasions are characterized by bursts of growth followed by stationary periods; pinned invasions occur when strong biotic resistance prevents the invader from establishing.

The research underscores the necessity of a holistic approach to understanding microbial invasions, emphasizing the interplay between dispersal rates and existing microbial communities in shaping invasion outcomes.

These findings suggest that the interactions between invaders and resident species significantly influence the dynamics of microbial invasions, leading to varied outcomes.

The study also developed a parameter-free framework that predicts invasion resistance based on interaction curves, allowing for the assessment of biotic resistance effects on invader growth without needing extensive details on all interactions.

Results indicated that this framework can accurately predict invasion dynamics across various experimental setups, highlighting its potential for broader applications in understanding microbial community behavior and pathogen resistance.