Publication: Exploring the faecal microbiome of the Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
Issued Date
2021-07-01
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ISSN
1432072X
03028933
03028933
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2-s2.0-85101018025
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Archives of Microbiology. Vol.203, No.5 (2021), 2119-2127
Suggested Citation
Evy Goossens, Roschong Boonyarittichaikij, Daan Dekeukeleire, Sarah Van Praet, Dries Bonte, Kris Verheyen, Luc Lens, An Martel, Elin Verbrugghe Exploring the faecal microbiome of the Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea). Archives of Microbiology. Vol.203, No.5 (2021), 2119-2127. doi:10.1007/s00203-021-02195-9 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/76133
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Title
Exploring the faecal microbiome of the Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
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Abstract
Gastrointestinal microbiota fulfill pivotal roles in providing a host with nutrition and protection from pathogenic microorganisms. Up to date, most microbiota research has focused on humans and other mammals, whereas birds and especially wild birds lag behind. Within the field of the avian gut microbiome, research is heavily biased towards poultry. In this study, we analyzed the gut microbiome of the Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea), using faecal samples of eight nestlings originating from three nuthatch nests in the south of Ghent (Belgium), using Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Relative frequency analysis showed a dominance of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria and to a lesser extent Proteobacteria. Bacteroidetes and other phyla were relatively rare. At higher taxonomic levels, a high degree of inter-individual variation in terms of overall microbiota community structure as well as dominance of certain bacteria was observed, but with a higher similarity for the nestlings sharing the same nest. When comparing the nuthatch faecal microbiome to that of great tit nestlings that were sampled during the same breeding season and in the same forest fragment, differences in the microbial community structure were observed, revealing distinct dissimilarities in the relative abundancy of taxa between the two bird species. This study is the first report on the nuthatch microbiome and serves as a reference study for nuthatch bacterial diversity and can be used for targeted screening of the composition and general functions of the avian gut microbiome.