Niche construction: the case of industrial vinegar production

Abstract

Niche construction is the process by which changes made to an environment by organisms also in turn drive their own evolution. While many examples of niche construction in the wild or human societies have been described, it is rare that a clear example of niche construction in an environment under human control can be demonstrated. Industrial vinegar production is a fermentation conducted by acetic acid bacteria. Importantly, the acetic acid bacteria produce acetic acid whose increasing acidity selects out acetic acid bacteria with lower tolerances for acidity. The remaining acetic acid bacteria continue to produce higher levels of acidity causing a directional selection that drives the acidity tolerance of the overall population higher while reducing the populations genetic diversity. This niche construction will be described and modeled and its implications for the probable self-limiting constraints of niche construction in wild populations is discussed.