Microbial communities play a key role in human health, biotechnology, geochemical cycles and the environment . For example, microbial communities present in the mouth, stomach and intestine are responsible for breakdown of food. The gut microbiomes get disrupted due to antibiotics, hindering digestion, and the effect can be long lasting. To solve this problem probiotics are often introduced, but with limited success. Why does it take long for the gut microbiome to be restored post antibiotic use? How can probiotics be made to succeed more often? Answers to these questions rely on our understanding of the stability of microbial communities.
