ðɪs lˈɛd dʒˈɛfɚsən tə kˈɔɪn ðə tˈɜːm ˌɛkoʊθˌɛɹɐpjˈuːɾɪks, ɔːɹ ˌɛkəlˈɑːdʒɪkəl θˌɛɹəpjˈuːɾɪks, stˈeɪɾɪŋ ðˌæɾə mˈeɪdʒɚ ɹˈaʊt tʊ ɪmpɹˈuːvd pɚfˈoːɹməns ɔːɹ hˈɛlθ ʌv ˈænɪməlz ɔːɹ plˈænts wʊd biː θɹuː ðɪ ɐdʒˈʌstmənt ʌv maɪkɹˈoʊbɪəl pˌɑːpjʊlˈeɪʃənz ænd ðɛɹ dʒɪnˈɛɾɪk kˌeɪpəbˈɪlᵻɾiz mˌaɪkɹoʊbɪˈoʊɾə, ˈɔfən nˈaʊ kˈɔːld ðə mˈaɪkɹoʊbɪˌoʊmz.
This led Jefferson to coin the term ecotherapeutics, or ecological therapeutics, stating that a major route to improved performance or health of animals or plants would be through the adjustment of microbial populations and their genetic capabilities (microbiota, often now called the microbiomes).