Applying microbial ecology frameworks to microbial therapies for wildlife

Area of Science:

• Microbial ecology
• Veterinary medicine
• Conservation biology

Background:

• Host-associated microbiomes are increasingly vital in human and animal medicine.
• Microbial therapies (prebiotics, probiotics, microbiota transplants) aim to beneficially modulate microbiomes.
• Commercial microbial therapies for humans and domestic animals have shown mixed efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the effectiveness of microbial therapies, particularly in wildlife.
• To highlight the need for integrating ecological concepts into microbial therapy development.
• To identify novel approaches for creating accessible and effective wildlife microbial therapies.

Main Methods:

• Review of current microbial therapy strategies (prebiotics, probiotics, fecal microbiota transplants).
• Emphasis on ecological principles and empirical research for therapy design.
• Exploration of emerging technologies like machine learning and culturomics.

Main Results:

• Evidence for commercial microbial therapies is inconsistent.
• Microbial therapies are most effective when integrated with ecological understanding and empirical validation.
• Whole microbiota transplants may offer a more ecologically aligned approach to microbial supplementation.

Conclusions:

• Developing effective microbial therapies for wildlife requires addressing host-specific microbial ecology.
• Novel methods like machine learning and culturomics are crucial for identifying target microbes for wildlife therapies.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration among ecologists, animal scientists, and medical professionals is essential for advancing wildlife microbial therapies.