Abstract
Mammals, born with a near-sterile intestinal tract, are inoculated with their mothers’ microbiome during birth. Thereafter, extrinsic and intrinsic factors shape their intestinal microbe assemblage. Wastewater treatment works (WWTW), sites synonymous with pollutants and pathogens, receive influent from domestic, agricultural and industrial sources. The high nutrient content of wastewater supports abundant populations of chironomid midges (Diptera), which transfer these toxicants and potential pathogens to their predators, such as the banana bat Neoromicia nana (Vespertilionidae), thereby influencing their intestinal microbial assemblages. We used next generation sequencing and 16S rRNA gene profiling to identify and compare intestinal bacteria of N. nana at two reference sites and two WWTW sites. We describe the shared intestinal microbiome of the insectivorous bat, N. nana, consisting of seven phyla and eleven classes. Further, multivariate analyses revealed that location was the most significant driver (sex, body size and condition were not significant) of intestinal microbiome diversity. Bats at WWTW sites exhibited greater intestinal microbiota diversity than those at reference sites, likely due to wastewater exposure, stress and/or altered diet. Changes in their intestinal microbiota assemblages may allow these bats to cope with concomitant stressors.
Highlights
In mammals, the intestinal microbiome is derived from the mother during gestation and birth [1, 2]
Bacterial diversity at all taxonomic levels did not correlate with Body condition index (BCI)
Bats captured at Wastewater treatment works (WWTW), Verulam WWTW, showed the greatest microbiome diversity and the most unique operational taxonomic unit (OTU) at all taxonomic levels (Fig 3)
Summary
The intestinal microbiome is derived from the mother during gestation and birth [1, 2] Thereafter, factors such as environmental conditions, social interaction, diet and host physiology shape their microbial assemblage [1, 3, 4]. The core microbiome, consisting of all microbiota that perform a critical function and are common across spatio-temporal scales [5], is believed to play key roles in ecosystem functioning [6]. These shared microbiota, which make up only a portion of the diverse microbiota inhabiting a hosts gastrointestinal tract, are not necessary shared by all individuals of a species, but rather by subpopulations [7].
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