Conservation biology needs a microbial renaissance: a call for the consideration of host-associated microbiota in wildlife management practices
| Autor: | Barry K. Hartup, Samantha S. Fontaine, Brian K. Trevelline, Kevin D. Kohl |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
Conservation of Natural Resources Wildlife Biodiversity Animals Wild 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences General Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology 03 medical and health sciences Animals Wildlife management Microbiome Environmental planning Review Articles 030304 developmental biology General Environmental Science 0303 health sciences General Immunology and Microbiology Host Microbial Interactions Host (biology) Microbiota The Renaissance General Medicine Geography Conservation biology General Agricultural and Biological Sciences |
| Popis: | The central aim of conservation biology is to understand and mitigate the effects of human activities on biodiversity. To successfully achieve this objective, researchers must take an interdisciplinary approach that fully considers the effects, both direct and indirect, of anthropogenic disturbances on wildlife physiology and health. A recent surge in research has revealed that host-associated microbiota—the archaeal, bacterial, fungal and viral communities residing on and inside organisms—profoundly influence animal health, and that these microbial communities can be drastically altered by anthropogenic activities. Therefore, conservation practitioners should consider the disruption of host-associated microbial diversity as a serious threat to wildlife populations. Despite the tremendous potential for microbiome research to improve conservation outcomes, few efforts have been made to truly integrate these fields. In this review, we call for the microbial renaissance of conservation biology, where biodiversity of host-associated microbiota is recognized as an essential component of wildlife management practices. Using evidence from the existing literature, we will examine the known effects of anthropogenic activities on the diversity of host-associated microbial communities and integrate approaches for maintaining microbial diversity to successfully achieve conservation objectives. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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