Past research has shown that bacteria experience significant phenotypical changes when exposed to spaceflight environments. These changes include an increase in biofilm formation that have been shown to increase resistance to antibiotics, osmotic and oxidative stress. These changes highlight potential health risks to astronauts during space travel. Because bacteria naturally occur in communities, rather than pure cultures, we are shifting our focus to study the physiological effects of simulated microgravity on microbial communities. We are using EcoPlates to study whole community responses to simulated microgravity exposure as well as exposure to ionizing radiation. Containing 31 different carbon substrates, we can see which substrates are preferred by the community. Any changes to these preferred substrates, following microgravity and radiation exposure, can give us insight into how the community reacts to these stressors. These experiments support the need for further research on space microbial ecology, including human-associated microbial communities during space travel
