Fig. 1

Phenotypic heterogeneity in pathogen persistence leads to biphasic decay. Biphasic decay of E. coli observed in manure-amended soil by [21] can be explained by a model in which fast-decaying labile pathogens transition to a slow-decaying persistent phenotype [18]. If the persistent phenotype represents a dormant state or has otherwise reduced infectivity, these underlying dynamics have important implications for host-level disease outcomes