Host specificity. Collecting a wide variety of mammals and bird species (raccoon, skunk, squirrel, rat, mice, ants, termites, bedbugs, wasp)
Temporal data. Season, years, within a day
Complete individual biological metadata. Animals are killed so we have access to all organs.
Environmental data. Information on the treatment used, traps,
Large sample size. Many owners are impacted by pests
Geographic data. Within cities, between cities
QUESTIONS
Does species influence gut microbiome composition?
Does geography influence gut microbiome composition?
How much does the gut microbiome change with a species (over hours, days, weeks, months, years)?
Does season influence gut microbiome?
Does diet influence gut microbiome?
Does genetics influence the gut microbiome?
Does biological sex influence the gut microbiome?
How are health and disease linked to the host gut microbiome?