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MICROBIAL ECOLOGY

Bat microbiomes are socially synchronized

Nature Ecology & Evolution volume 3, pages 18–19 (2019)Cite this article

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Analysis of fruit bat colonies reveals that, for members of the same colony, fur microbial communities change in concert.

These discoveries have implications for animal communication and infectious disease. Synchronized scents could serve as a flexible olfactory uniform to identify group members. Barriers such as fur and skin also serve as the first line of defence against infection, and fur and skin microbiomes may either help or hinder that process. These effects may be especially important in bats because most bat species live in groups4 and are a major source of zoonotic disease. Bat populations are also threatened by infectious disease, including the fungal pathogen that causes white nose syndrome, which is responsible for declining bat populations across North America. If fur microbiomes change in concert, colony members might show similar disease susceptibility or resistance at the same time.

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Fig. 1: Microbiome dynamics in colonies of Egyptian fruit bats.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA

    Elizabeth A. Archie

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  1. Elizabeth A. Archie
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Correspondence to Elizabeth A. Archie.

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The author declares no competing interests.

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Archie, E.A. Bat microbiomes are socially synchronized. Nat Ecol Evol 3, 18–19 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-018-0749-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-018-0749-2

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