Abstract
The gut microbime plays an important role in the health of wild animals. This microbial community could be altered by habitat pollution and other human activities that threaten the host organisms. Here, we satellite-tracked a flock of swan geese (Anser cygnoides) migrating from their breeding area (Khukh Lake, Mongolia), with low levels of human activity, to their wintering area (Poyang Lake, China) which has been heavily impacted by human activities. Twenty fecal samples were collected from each site. High-throughput sequencing of 16S and ITS was employed to explore bacterial and fungal composition and diversity of their gut microbiome. Although general composition, alpha-diversity, functional prediction, and the central taxa in the phylogenetic networks showed some similarities between the two habitats, significant divergences were detected in terms of beta-diversity, species abundances, and interaction network topologies. In addition, disease-related and xenobiotic biodegradation pathways, and pathogenic bacteria were significantly increased in bacterial communities from samples at Poyang Lake. Our results reveal that the gut microbiome of swan geese, while somewhat altered after long-distance migration, still maintained a core group of species. We also show that habitat environmental stress could impact these gut microbial communities, suggesting that habitat pollution could indirectly threaten wild animals by altering their gut microbiome.
Highlights
The swan goose (Anser cygnoides), a wetland-dependent herbivore waterbird, is a representative species of wild Anseriformes of Anatidae (Fig. 1A)
Following satellite tracking of the flock (Fig. 1B), fecal samples from the same group of swan geese were collected in Poyang Lake, South China
High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA and ITS from fecal DNAs were utilized to assess alterations to the gut microbiome composition, diversity, phylogenetic molecular networks, and functional predictions caused by long distance migration between breeding and wintering habitats
Summary
The swan goose (Anser cygnoides), a wetland-dependent herbivore waterbird, is a representative species of wild Anseriformes of Anatidae (Fig. 1A) These wild geese migrate thousands of miles every year between their breeding and wintering areas. Swan geese mainly subsist on the young stems of submerged macrophytes, those of Vallisneria spiralis, in both their wintering and breeding areas[2] This narrow dietary range makes this species highly sensitive to environmental changes[1]. Swan geese migrate annually between breeding and wintering areas in response to seasonal fluctuation in temperature and food availability[20] Their gut microbial community plays an important role in the geographic spread of various zoonotic agents, because it is one of the major ways to transport pathogenic bacteria[21]. We hypothesized, (i) the core group of gut microorganisms are similar due to the same host species and similar diet; while (ii) both bacterial and fungal communities could be altered after long distance migration
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