Conclusions
We are currently at a major turning point on how we can derive valuable
insights on the ecological processes shaping non-model and environmental
microbiomes in the wild. The adoption of robust laboratory and
bioinformatic techniques, together with sophisticated statistical
approaches, enhance our ability to gain deeper insights into the factors
influencing microbiome variation and the intricate relationships among
microbial taxa. However, all of these techniques rely on robust study
designs and appropriate sampling scales to address specific research
questions. Ultimately, this perspective piece serves as a broad outline
of some of the considerations that ought to be considered in the field
of microbiome ecology. Hopefully, with robust practices, we can, in
turn, start to untangle the complex processes acting on these incredibly
important but understudied communities.