Shifts in the gut microbiome observed in wildlife faecal samples exposed to natural weather conditions: lessons from time-series analyses using next-generation sequencing for application in field studies

摘要

1. Gut microbiome studies in wildlife species are of increasing interest to understand the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the variation of bacterial communities, which are associated with host health. Current research is mainly restricted to faecal samples obtained during veterinary inspections or to collection of faeces instantly after defecation. For some elusive wildlife species, the collection of faeces in the field can only occur hours or days after defecation and might be the only option to investigate their gut microbiomes. However, to interpret bacterial sequencing results, it is essential to understand how abiotic and biotic factors affect bacteria in faecal material after defecation.