Bacterial Community Variation in Human Body Habitats Across Space and Time

Abstract

Growing on You The human gut and skin harbor diverse microbial communities that are known to vary strikingly among individuals. Here, Costello et al. (p. 1694 , published online 5 November) analyzed microbial diversity among several distinct body habitats (including the gut, mouth, inside the ears and nose, and skin) of the same person at different times. They found that body habitat had more influence on microbial community composition than temporal differences and variation among people. Some skin locations, such as the index finger, back of the knee, and sole of the foot, on occasion harbored higher microbial diversity than the gut or oral cavity.

Keywords

Variation (astronomy)HabitatEcologyBergmann's ruleBiologyGeographyGeodesyPhysicsLatitude

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Publication Info

Year: 2009
Type: article
Volume: 326
Issue: 5960
Pages: 1694-1697
Citations: 3174
Access: Closed

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APA Style

                            
                                
                                    Elizabeth K. Costello, 
                                
                                    Christian L. Lauber, 
                                
                                    Micah Hamady
                                
                                et al.
                            
                            (2009). 
                            Bacterial Community Variation in Human Body Habitats Across Space and Time. 
                            Science
                            , 326
                            (5960)
                            , 1694-1697.
                            https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1177486
                        

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1126/science.1177486