Niche theory‐based modeling of assembly processes of viral communities in bats

Abstract

A great deal of effort has been invested in trying to understand the distribution and function of the different biota at multiple scales, with the aim of predicting community assembly rules and the consequences of their complex interactions (Cavender-Bares et al., 2009). Developing such an understanding has important implications in the case of viral disease dynamics and outbreak occurrence, as it would provide us with useful tools for inferring both the causes and consequences of viral distributions, as well as aiding the decision-making process in the prevention, monitoring, and control of infectious diseases (Pedersen & Fenton, 2006). However, in the case of communities of symbionts (organisms associated with other organisms, generally parasites) comparatively little is known about their assembly processes. In this case, it is evident that host characteristics could act as strong filters on the assembly of pathogen communities