Airborne microorganisms play a crucial role in natural and agricultural ecosystems, however little tangible evidence exists about the biological factors that drive microbial dispersal by air.
AUT research aims to identify the traits responsible for increased dispersal range and identify of which microbes and adaptations persist best in the air, and provide understanding of the mechanisms behind these processes. This knowledge will help improve modelling of airborne dispersal of diseases and increase our understanding of ecosystems.