WILDGUT · GUT biota indices: a new tool for WILD animal conservation

GUT biota indices: a new tool for WILD animal conservation

Calls to stem biodiversity loss have generally focussed on the plight of charismatic vertebrates. However, although the abundance and diversity of microorganisms (including bacteria and fungi, as well as parasitic worms) inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract (‘gut biota’) have been demonstrated of critical importance to health in both humans and non-human animals, this microbiodiversity has rarely been considered within a conservation framework. While many bacteria are known to have a positive effect on our health, the combined effects of bacteria, fungi and parasitic worms has received less attention, but are likely to be essential players in gut homeostasis. Using recently collected fecal samples from two free-ranging tropical non-human primate species with contrasting ecological parameters, WILDGUT aimed at investigating wild animal gut biota in primates living in contrasting habitat types (i.e. intact versus degraded habitats) in order to identify possible biomarkers associated with conservation status that could be used to improve wildlife management strategies. Specifically, the WILDGUT project aimed to: (i) assess the diversity and composition of gut microbiota (bacteria and fungi) and parasitic worms in two wild primate species (Udzungwa red colobus and yellow baboon) living in degraded and intact forested areas (see details about primate species and study area below); (ii) identify potential interactions within and between microbiota and parasitic worms; (iii) build appropriate statistical models using the dataset to identify useful indices for assessing conservation status of the primate populations; (iv) use the results to make recommendations for animal conservation managers. By summarizing the results obtained, we can ensure that individuals of the same primate species living in each forest type present unique gut biota compositions, especially bacteria and fungi. However, due to the different intraspecific feeding adaptation, richness per se might not be the best measure to evaluating individual health. Deeper investigations on the functional analysis of each gut component should be taken into account as well as the correlation between components. Although no particular correlations were yet detected between bacteria and fungi, the associations with parasitic worms are still on-going.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз