ArticleBMC ecology and evolution2024
The gut microbiota of three avian species living in sympatry.
Article in BMC ecology and evolution, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Host-Associated Differentiation of Gut Microbiota Among Four Crane Species Wintering in Rice Paddies Around Poyang Lake.Ecology and evolution · 2026Article
- Genetic Links to Gut Microbiome Variation in the Yellow-Rumped Warbler Hybrid Zone.Molecular ecology · 2026Article
- The Great Bustard (Ecology and evolution · 2026Article
- Geographic and Orientia infection status influence on the bacterial microbiome of free-living chiggers in North Carolina, USA.PloS one · 2026Article
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10 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundEvolutionary divergence and genetic variation are often linked to differences in microbial community structure and diversity. While environmental factors and diet heavily influence gut microbial communities, host species contributions are harder to quantify. Closely related species living in sympatry provide a unique opportunity to investigate species differences without the confounding effects of habitat and dietary variation. We therefore compared and contrasted the gut microbiota of three sympatric plover species: the widespread Kittlitz's and white-fronted plovers (Anarhynchus pecuarius and A. marginatus) and the endemic and vulnerable Madagascar plover (A. thoracicus).
resultsWe found no significant differences in the beta diversity (composition) of the gut microbiota of the three species. However, A. thoracicus exhibited higher intraspecific compositional similarity (i.e. lower pairwise distances) than the other two species; this pattern was especially pronounced among juveniles. By contrast, microbial alpha diversity varied significantly among the species, being highest in A. pecuarius, intermediate in A. marginatus and lowest in A. thoracicus. This pattern was again stronger among juveniles. Geographical distance did not significantly affect the composition of the gut microbiota, but genetic relatedness did.
conclusionWhile patterns of microbial diversity varied across species, the lack of compositional differences suggests that habitat and diet likely exert a strong influence on the gut microbiota of plovers. This may be enhanced by their precocial, ground-dwelling nature, which could facilitate the horizontal transmission of microbes from the environment. We hypothesise that gut microbiota diversity in plovers primarily reflects the ecological pool of microbiota, which is subsequently modified by host-specific factors including genetics. The reduced microbial and genetic diversity of the endemic A. thoracicus may hinder its ability to adapt to environmental changes, highlighting the need for increased conservation efforts for this vulnerable species.
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