Arachnid Microbiota: Ecology, Evolution and Functional Interactions

Arachnid–microbe associations represent a rapidly expanding frontier in biological research, bridging microbiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. Arachnids—comprising ticks, mites, spiders, scorpions, and related taxa—harbor highly diverse microbial communities that play crucial roles in fundamental biological processes, such as nutrition, immunity, development, and ecological adaptation. While recent advances in high-throughput sequencing, metagenomics, and functional profiling have uncovered significant insights into these associations, many aspects of their ecological and functional determinants remain unresolved. Questions persist about how microbiota diversity is structured across lineages, how symbiotic microbes influence host physiology and evolution, and how environmental and anthropogenic factors shape these host–microbe systems. Although studies have described microbiota composition in some arachnid groups, comparative and mechanistic investigations remain limited, leaving critical gaps in understanding their broader evolutionary and ecological implications.This Research Topic aims to integrate interdisciplinary approaches to elucidate the ecological, functional, and evolutionary dimensions of arachnid-associated microbiota. It seeks to advance understanding of how microbial communities assemble, evolve, and function across diverse arachnid hosts, and how these interactions influence vector competence, pathogen dynamics, and adaptation to environmental change. Particular goals include identifying conserved patterns across taxa, uncovering lineage-specific symbiotic strategies, and testing hypotheses on microbiota-mediated fitness and transmission processes. By bringing together specialists in microbiology, ecology, evolutionary biology, and parasitology, this Research Topic aims to foster cohesive frameworks to study host–microbe interactions within the arachnid domain.To gather further insights into arachnid microbial ecology and evolution, the Research Topic will encompass a wide range of studies but remain focused on host-associated microbiota and their functional and adaptive roles. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Microbial diversity and community ecology across arachnid taxao Functional metagenomics and microbiota-driven physiological processeso Evolutionary patterns and co-diversification in host–microbe associationso Environmental and anthropogenic factors shaping microbiota dynamicso Microbiota-mediated effects on vector competence and pathogen transmissiono Microbial network interactions and symbiotic functional integrationo Multi-omics and experimental approaches to dissect host–microbe interactionsAppendix: We welcome a variety of article types, including Original Research, Methods, Reviews, Mini Reviews, Hypothesis and Theory, and Perspective articles. Topic editors: Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz, Myriam Kratou, Salma Kaoutar Abdelali Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81828/arachnid-microbiota-ecology-evolution-and-functional-interactions