Long-distance movement dynamics shape host microbiome richness and turnover

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Microbiology
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• Host-associated microbial communities are influenced by host movements, impacting biodiversity.
• Climate change may increase long-distance host movements, relevant to biological invasions.
• Mechanisms driving microbial community restructuring due to host movement are underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a framework elucidating factors driving host movement-associated microbial community change.
• To categorize host movements into regular and irregular types.
• To propose testable hypotheses for future research.

Main Methods:

• Literature review to synthesize existing knowledge.
• Ecological simulations to model community dynamics.
• Framework development categorizing host movements and influencing factors.

Main Results:

• Host movement type (regular vs. irregular) and frequency are key factors.
• Environmental exposure (internal/external microbiota) influences community changes.
• A framework integrating movement and exposure predicts community dynamics.

Conclusions:

• Host movements are critical drivers of microbial community structure.
• Understanding these dynamics is vital for ecology and conservation.
• The proposed framework and hypotheses guide future research on host-microbiota interactions.