Contribution of Human and Animal to the Microbial World and Ecological Balance

Abstract

Diversity of the gut microbiota can be attributed to diets, lifestyle, and daily practices, including antibiotic/antimicrobial use and sanitation/cleanness of the host’s environment. These factors can also be linked to the prevalence of acute or chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, obesity, and allergies. Therefore, the diversity of the external environment and its microbiome, or microbial ecology, will play significant roles in building and shaping the microbiome in the human body. However, the various sources from which these microbes can originate, the conditions that affect their survival, and the capability of future colonization are not yet fully understood. In this chapter, we aim to discuss some of the factors, specifically origin of various types of microbes/contributors, their survival ability in the environment, and their ecological balance.