Skin Microbes and Animal Health: Understanding the Ecological Context

该项目旨在通过将宿主效应与决定皮肤微生物组组成的环境因素分离开来，了解动物宿主（青蛙、壁虎）与其皮肤上细菌之间的基本生态关系。这项研究意义重大，因为它将产生新的知识，以了解皮肤微生物如何在提供疾病保护方面发挥作用。预期的结果包括提供基本信息，这些信息将指导未来关于决定健康皮肤微生物群落因素的研究工作（这是在对抗皮肤病之前所需要的）。这项研究将提供显著的好处，包括更有针对性的保护工作，以对抗野生动物皮肤病。

This project aims to understand the fundamental ecological relationships between animal hosts (frogs, geckos) and bacteria on their skin by separating host effects from environmental factors that determine skin microbiome composition. The research is significant because it will generate new knowledge needed to understand how skin microbes function in providing protection against disease. Expected outcomes include the provision of essential information that will guide future research efforts on the factors that determine a healthy skin microbial community (which is needed before skin diseases can be combated). The research will provide significant benefits, including more targeted conservation efforts to combat wildlife skin diseases.