microbiota

:  the microscopic organisms of a particular environment :  microbiome 1 <The more we learn about our microbiota, however, the more we realize how easy it is for helpful microbes to get caught in the line of fire between an antibiotic and its intended target.—Nathan Wolfe, National Geographic, January 2013> <… the microbiota on the tongue differ from those species living in plaque on teeth.—Mel Rosenberg, Scientific American, April 2002 >