All multicellular organisms host microbial communities in and on their bodies, and these microbiomes can have major influences on host biology. Most research has focussed on the oral, skin, and gut microbiomes, whereas relatively little is known about the reproductive microbiome. Here, we review empirical evidence to show that reproductive microbiomes can have significant effects on the reproductive function and performance of males and females. We then discuss the likely repercussions of these effects for evolutionary processes related to sexual selection and sexual conflict, as well as mating systems and reproductive isolation. We argue that knowledge of the reproductive microbiome is fundamental to our understanding of the evolutionary ecology of reproductive strategies and sexual dynamics of host organisms.

中文翻译：

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生殖微生物组：性选择，性冲突，交配系统和生殖隔离的新兴驱动力。

所有的多细胞生物都在其体内和在其上宿主微生物群落，这些微生物群可以对宿主生物学产生重大影响。大多数研究集中在口腔，皮肤和肠道微生物组，而对生殖微生物组的了解相对较少。在这里，我们审查经验证据，以表明生殖微生物组可以对男性和女性的生殖功能和性能产生重大影响。然后，我们讨论了这些效应对与性选择和性冲突以及交配系统和生殖隔离有关的进化过程的可能影响。我们认为，生殖微生物组的知识是我们了解生殖策略的进化生态学和宿主生物的性动力的基础。