Fifty important research questions in microbial ecology

doi:10.1093/femsec/fix044

. 2017 May 1;93(5).

doi: 10.1093/femsec/fix044.

Fifty important research questions in microbial ecology

Rachael E Antwis¹, Sarah M Griffiths², Xavier A Harrison³, Paz Aranega-Bou¹, Andres Arce⁴, Aimee S Bettridge⁵, Francesca L Brailsford⁶, Alexandre de Menezes¹, Andrew Devaynes⁷, Kristian M Forbes⁸, Ellen L Fry⁹, Ian Goodhead¹, Erin Haskell¹⁰, Chloe Heys¹¹, Chloe James¹, Sarah R Johnston⁵, Gillian R Lewis⁷, Zenobia Lewis¹¹, Michael C Macey¹², Alan McCarthy¹¹, James E McDonald¹³, Nasmille L Mejia-Florez¹², David O'Brien¹⁴, Chloé Orland¹⁵, Marco Pautasso¹⁶, William D K Reid¹⁷, Heather A Robinson⁹, Kenneth Wilson¹⁸, William J Sutherland¹⁹

Affiliations

¹ School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, The Crescent, Salford M5 4WT, UK.
² School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, Greater Manchester M1 5GD, UK.
³ Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, London NW1 4RY, UK.
⁴ Silwood Park, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
⁵ School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF10 3XQ, UK.
⁶ School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DG, UK.
⁷ Biosciences, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 4QP, UK.
⁸ Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland.
⁹ School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
¹⁰ Department of Biology, University of York, York, North Yorkshire YO10 5DD, UK.
¹¹ Institute of Integrative Biology/School of Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside L69 3BX, UK.
¹² School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
¹³ School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DG, UK.
¹⁴ Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness IV3 8NW, UK.
¹⁵ Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB2 1TN, UK.
¹⁶ Animal and Plant Health Unit, European Food Safety Authority, Parma 43126, Italy.
¹⁷ School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE1 7RU, UK.
¹⁸ Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 4YW, UK.
¹⁹ Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB2 1TN, UK.

PMID: 28379446
DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fix044

Free article

Fifty important research questions in microbial ecology

Rachael E Antwis et al. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2017.

Free article

. 2017 May 1;93(5).

doi: 10.1093/femsec/fix044.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, The Crescent, Salford M5 4WT, UK.
² School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, Greater Manchester M1 5GD, UK.
³ Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, London NW1 4RY, UK.
⁴ Silwood Park, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
⁵ School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF10 3XQ, UK.
⁶ School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DG, UK.
⁷ Biosciences, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 4QP, UK.
⁸ Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland.
⁹ School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
¹⁰ Department of Biology, University of York, York, North Yorkshire YO10 5DD, UK.
¹¹ Institute of Integrative Biology/School of Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside L69 3BX, UK.
¹² School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
¹³ School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DG, UK.
¹⁴ Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness IV3 8NW, UK.
¹⁵ Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB2 1TN, UK.
¹⁶ Animal and Plant Health Unit, European Food Safety Authority, Parma 43126, Italy.
¹⁷ School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE1 7RU, UK.
¹⁸ Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 4YW, UK.
¹⁹ Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB2 1TN, UK.

PMID: 28379446
DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fix044

Abstract

Microbial ecology provides insights into the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of microbial communities underpinning every ecosystem on Earth. Microbial communities can now be investigated in unprecedented detail, although there is still a wealth of open questions to be tackled. Here we identify 50 research questions of fundamental importance to the science or application of microbial ecology, with the intention of summarising the field and bringing focus to new research avenues. Questions are categorised into seven themes: host-microbiome interactions; health and infectious diseases; human health and food security; microbial ecology in a changing world; environmental processes; functional diversity; and evolutionary processes. Many questions recognise that microbes provide an extraordinary array of functional diversity that can be harnessed to solve real-world problems. Our limited knowledge of spatial and temporal variation in microbial diversity and function is also reflected, as is the need to integrate micro- and macro-ecological concepts, and knowledge derived from studies with humans and other diverse organisms. Although not exhaustive, the questions presented are intended to stimulate discussion and provide focus for researchers, funders and policy makers, informing the future research agenda in microbial ecology.

Keywords: environmental processes; evolutionary processes; functional diversity; host–microbiome interactions; priority setting, research agenda.

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Fifty important research questions in microbial ecology

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Fifty important research questions in microbial ecology

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