HEИндивидуална стипендия2023–2025

InvasOME · Invasiveness and the microbiome: gut microbial community dynamics in an invasive-native vertebrate system

„Хоризонт Европа“ — Действия „Мария Склодовска-Кюри“

Период: 2023-09-01 → 2025-08-31
Финансиране от ЕС: 214 934 €
Участници: 1
Схема: HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF

Линиите свързват координатора с партньорите.

Накратко на български

Микробиомът на червените и сивите катерици в Италия показва как бактериите в червата помагат на инвазивните видове да се адаптират към нова среда. Това помага да се разбере защо някои животни изместват местните видове и застрашават биоразнообразието.

Този кратък обзор е генериран от изкуствен интелект

Кратко обяснение, генерирано от езиков модел по текста на CORDIS. Оригиналът е по-долу.

Резултати накратко

Invasiveness and the microbiome: gut microbial community dynamics in an invasive-native vertebrate system

The introduction of invasive alien species (IAS) by humans is one of the major threats to biodiversity and the functioning of ecosystems, due to the many impacts of IAS and their rapid spread. However, the exact mechanisms underlying invasiveness have yet to be fully disclosed. The microbiome may be involved in the invasion process by mediating several key host traits, thereby conferring IAS with the capability to quickly acclimate and adapt to their new environment and out-compete native species. The InvasOME project aimed to investigate the potential role of the microbiome in facilitating animal invasions, and its relationship with host diet, behaviour, and infection status. To achieve this, populations of invasive Eastern grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) and native Eurasian red squirrels (S. vulgaris) in Italy were used as a model system. The microbiomes of these two species and their dynamics along urbanisation gradients and across seasons were investigated to answer the following questions: Q1) Do invasive squirrels exhibit greater metagenomic plasticity than native squirrels? Q2) Are gut microbiota dynamics in the two species associated with dietary flexibility? Q3) Are gut microbiota dynamics in the two species associated with behaviour? Q4) Is gut microbiota heterogeneity associated with the host ability to cope with parasitic infection?

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

Цел на проекта

Biological invasions are one of the major threats to biodiversity worldwide, due to the many impacts and rapid spread ofinvasive alien species (IAS). However, the exact mechanisms underlying invasiveness remain poorly understood. Ihypothesise that metagenomic plasticity may be involved in invasions, i.e. IAS may be able to quickly acclimate and adapt totheir new environment and oust native species thanks to the higher dynamism of their microbial community structure and/orgene expression patterns. I will study microbiome dynamics in two phylogenetically-close mammals: a successful invader(grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis) and a native species ousted by the former (red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris), investigatingthe diverse interplay among their gut microbiome, parasite infection, dietary flexibility and behaviour (individual personality). Iwill employ an observational approach in a natural experimental setting, comparing variation in the microbiome-phenomedynamics of the two species at both the individual-level (across seasons) and population-level (along a natural-urbangradient). InvasOME will help disclose the mechanisms behind invasiveness and rapid adaptation of IAS, offering usefulinsights that may prove relevant for the prevention and management of biological invasions. This project is highlymultidisciplinary and perfectly integrates several disciplines part of my skill set (invasion ecology, parasitology andbehavioural ecology) with state-of-the-art metagenomics in which I will receive advanced training by the proposed host, whohas a relevant experience and an innovative and interdisciplinary approach to these fields. I designed this project also toenhance my transferable skills, making the most of the host institution initiatives. I am thus confident that InvasOME will bothopen an under-explored line of research and at the same time greatly enhance my potential, helping my transition to anindependent researcher position.

Оригинален текст от CORDIS (на английски).

Участници

KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET · KOBENHAVNКоординаторДания