Fig. 6

Boxplots showing distribution of weighted UniFrac distances calculated between human and built environment samples collected over 8 data points across a period of 5 months in publicly shared spaces, i.e., squadrons. Distribution of weighted UniFrac distances between a gut and built environment samples, i.e., squadron common area, floor corner (low surface dust sample), bathroom handle, and door stop (high surface dust sample) for neighboring squadrons, b skin and built environment samples for neighboring squadrons, c gut and built environment for squadrons located in different buildings, and d skin and built environment for squadrons located in different buildings. PERMANOVA p values (p_permanova) are labeled for the comparison of weighted UniFrac distances (for each pair, i.e., human vs built environment) among the eight weeks sampled. The dark lines inside the boxes of boxplots are medians and “+” represents the mean, which in most cases overlapped with the medians. The neighboring squadrons are the ones within the same building and with adjacent hallways, i.e., squadron pairs 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 19 and 20. The comparisons for squadrons in different buildings are between the gut and skin microbiome profiles of cadets living in the neighboring squadrons (abovementioned pairs) to the built environment samples belonging to squadrons 27 and 28 located in a different building (400 feet away from the first building)