Virtually all multicellular life on our planet engages in symbiotic relationships with extensive and intricate communities of microorganisms referred to as microbiomes. Recent research has been released that seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of how these relationships develop. Computational ecologists are examining how the interactions between intricate bacterial communities and multicellular organisms arise in natural environments by integrating theoretical approaches with real-world data. The researchers are presently applying the proposed model to study microbes found within marine sponges.
Nearly every multicellular organism on Earth exists in symbiotic partnerships with extensive and complex microbial communities known as microbiomes.
A new study has been published with the goal of gaining a thorough understanding of how these connections form.
Computational ecologist Dr. Miguel Lurgi investigates how the interactions between intricate bacterial communities and multicellular hosts develop in nature, utilizing a blend of theoretical and empirical research.
In his latest work, Dr. Lurgi, along with his colleague Dr. Gui Araujo from the Biosciences Department at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, collaborated with researchers from the French Scientific Research Council, the University of New South Wales in Australia, and the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, also in Australia.
They aimed to create a theoretical framework to deepen understanding of how complex microbiomes associated with hosts emerge. Their findings have recently been shared in the journal Trends in Microbiology.
Dr. Lurgi stated, “We believe that the assembly of microbiomes results from the combined forces of ecology and evolution.”
“Our research seeks to connect ecological and evolutionary theories with the ecology and evolution of microbes and their symbionts, creating a comprehensive view of how complex symbiotic relationships are formed.”
“These symbiotic connections are among the oldest forms of associations between multicellular organisms and groups of microbes and are often essential for the survival of both the host and the microbiome.”
The researchers are currently applying this theoretical framework to explore the microbes within marine sponges. They are also aiming to expand these findings to other microbiomes, ultimately striving for a cohesive understanding of the complex nature of symbiotic relationships among various species across different host groups and taxa.
Dr. Lurgi leads the Computational Ecology Lab at Swansea and has received a Leverhulme Trust award for his research project titled The origin of complex symbioses.
He remarked, “My primary focus is on uncovering the mechanisms that contribute to the complexity within ecological networks. I develop theoretical models of ecological communities and network dynamics to enhance understanding of these mechanisms and the biodiversity patterns they produce.”
Dr. Lurgi and Dr. Araujo are now focused on further developing the mathematical foundations of the concepts outlined in their current paper, having recently presented their work at the 19th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology in South Africa.
