Microbes and animal olfactory communication: Where do we go from here?

Area of Science:

• Animal communication
• Microbial ecology
• Chemical ecology

Background:

• Microbes are known to produce odors used by animals for communication.
• The prevalence and causality of microbially-produced animal signals are not well understood.
• Key questions remain about host-microbe interactions in signaling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current knowledge on microbially-produced signals in animals.
• To identify key research areas for advancing the understanding of microbial-based animal signaling.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent studies on microbial-animal odor associations.
• Analysis of molecular technologies applied to wild animal odor research.
• Discussion of fundamental questions in host-microbe signaling interactions.

Main Results:

• Recent molecular technologies reveal associations between microbes and wild animal odors.
• Causality and the nature of host-microbe interactions in signaling remain difficult to ascertain.
• Fundamental questions about microbial benefits, community structure influence, and host regulation persist.

Conclusions:

• Further research is needed to understand the commonality and mechanisms of microbially-produced animal signals.
• Investigating host-microbe dynamics is crucial for deciphering microbial-based communication in animals.
• Advancing knowledge in this field requires addressing causality, microbial benefits, and host regulation of signaling.