Oral microbial interactions from an ecological perspective: a narrative review

Landscape ecology is a relatively new field of study within the sub-specialty of ecology that considers time and space in addition to structure and function. Landscape ecology contends that both the configuration (spatial pattern) and the composition (organisms both at the macro and or micro level) of an ecology can change over time. The oral cavity is an ideal place to study landscape ecology because of the variety of landscapes, the dynamic nature of plaque biofilm development, and the easy access to biofilm material. This review is intended to provide some specific clinical examples of how landscape ecology can influence the understanding of oral diseases and act as a supplement to diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this review is two-fold; (1) to illustrate how landscape ecology can be used to clarify the two most prominent microbiologically induced infections in the oral cavity, and (2) how studies of oral microbiology can be used to enhance the understanding of landscape ecology. The review will distinguish between “habitat” and “niche” in a landscape and extend the concept that a “patch”, is the demarcating unit of a habitat within a landscape. The review will describe how; (1) an individual patch, defined by its shape, edges and internal components can have an influence on species within the patch, (2) spatial dynamics over time within a patch can lead to variations or diversities of species within that patch space, and (3) an unwelcoming environment can promote species extinction or departure/dispersion into a more favorable habitat. Understanding this dynamic in relationship to caries and periodontal disease is the focus of this review.