Wild gut microbiomes reveal individuals, species, and location as drivers of variation in two critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers
Background The gut microbiome of animals is an important component that has strong influence on the health, fitness, and behavior of its host. Most research in the microbiome field has focused on human populations and commercially important species. However, researchers are now considering the link...
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| Format: | Article |
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PeerJ Inc.
2021-10-01
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| Series: | PeerJ |
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/12291.pdf |
| _version_ | 1827605505921515520 |
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| author | Maria S. Costantini Matthew C.I. Medeiros Lisa H. Crampton Floyd A. Reed |
| author_facet | Maria S. Costantini Matthew C.I. Medeiros Lisa H. Crampton Floyd A. Reed |
| author_sort | Maria S. Costantini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background The gut microbiome of animals is an important component that has strong influence on the health, fitness, and behavior of its host. Most research in the microbiome field has focused on human populations and commercially important species. However, researchers are now considering the link between endangered species conservation and the microbiome. In Hawaiʻi, several threats (e.g., avian malaria and habitat loss) have caused widespread population declines of Hawaiian honeycreepers (subfamily: Carduelinae). These threats can have a significant effect on the avian gut microbiome and may even lead to disruption of microbial function. However, the gut microbiome of honeycreeper in the wild has yet to be explored. Methods We collected 13 and 42 fecal samples, respectively, from two critically endangered honeycreeper species, the ʻakikiki (Oreomystis bairdi) and the ʻakekeʻe (Loxops caeruleirostris). The 16S rRNA gene was sequenced and processed though a MOTHUR-based bioinformatics pipeline. Bacterial ASVs were identified using the DADA2 program and bacterial community analyses, including alpha and beta diversity measures, were conducted using R packages Phyloseq and vegan. Results A total of 8,958 bacterial ASVs were identified from the fecal samples. Intraspecific differences in the gut microbiome among individual birds explained most of the variation present in the dataset, however differences between species did exist. Both species had distinct microbiomes with minimal overlap in beta diversity. ‘Akikiki had a more diverse microbiome compared to ‘akekeʻe. Additionally, small but stastically significant differences in beta diversity also exist between sampling location and sexes in ʻakikiki. Conclusion ʻAkikiki and ʻakekeʻe are currently the focus of captive breeding efforts and plans to translocate the two species to other islands are underway. This baseline knowledge will help inform management decisions for these honeycreeper species in their native habitats, on other islands, and in captivity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:22:44Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:22:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-4c75fb38701f400a8da62e23236993f02023-12-03T11:33:20ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592021-10-019e1229110.7717/peerj.12291Wild gut microbiomes reveal individuals, species, and location as drivers of variation in two critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreepersMaria S. Costantini0Matthew C.I. Medeiros1Lisa H. Crampton2Floyd A. Reed3School of Life Sciences, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United StatesSchool of Life Sciences, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United StatesHawaiʻi Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Hanapepe, Hawaiʻi, United StatesSchool of Life Sciences, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United StatesBackground The gut microbiome of animals is an important component that has strong influence on the health, fitness, and behavior of its host. Most research in the microbiome field has focused on human populations and commercially important species. However, researchers are now considering the link between endangered species conservation and the microbiome. In Hawaiʻi, several threats (e.g., avian malaria and habitat loss) have caused widespread population declines of Hawaiian honeycreepers (subfamily: Carduelinae). These threats can have a significant effect on the avian gut microbiome and may even lead to disruption of microbial function. However, the gut microbiome of honeycreeper in the wild has yet to be explored. Methods We collected 13 and 42 fecal samples, respectively, from two critically endangered honeycreeper species, the ʻakikiki (Oreomystis bairdi) and the ʻakekeʻe (Loxops caeruleirostris). The 16S rRNA gene was sequenced and processed though a MOTHUR-based bioinformatics pipeline. Bacterial ASVs were identified using the DADA2 program and bacterial community analyses, including alpha and beta diversity measures, were conducted using R packages Phyloseq and vegan. Results A total of 8,958 bacterial ASVs were identified from the fecal samples. Intraspecific differences in the gut microbiome among individual birds explained most of the variation present in the dataset, however differences between species did exist. Both species had distinct microbiomes with minimal overlap in beta diversity. ‘Akikiki had a more diverse microbiome compared to ‘akekeʻe. Additionally, small but stastically significant differences in beta diversity also exist between sampling location and sexes in ʻakikiki. Conclusion ʻAkikiki and ʻakekeʻe are currently the focus of captive breeding efforts and plans to translocate the two species to other islands are underway. This baseline knowledge will help inform management decisions for these honeycreeper species in their native habitats, on other islands, and in captivity.https://peerj.com/articles/12291.pdfAvian microbiomeConservationMicrobial ecologyMolecular ecologyIsland biologyTropical birds |
| spellingShingle | Maria S. Costantini Matthew C.I. Medeiros Lisa H. Crampton Floyd A. Reed Wild gut microbiomes reveal individuals, species, and location as drivers of variation in two critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers PeerJ Avian microbiome Conservation Microbial ecology Molecular ecology Island biology Tropical birds |
| title | Wild gut microbiomes reveal individuals, species, and location as drivers of variation in two critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers |
| title_full | Wild gut microbiomes reveal individuals, species, and location as drivers of variation in two critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers |
| title_fullStr | Wild gut microbiomes reveal individuals, species, and location as drivers of variation in two critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wild gut microbiomes reveal individuals, species, and location as drivers of variation in two critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers |
| title_short | Wild gut microbiomes reveal individuals, species, and location as drivers of variation in two critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers |
| title_sort | wild gut microbiomes reveal individuals species and location as drivers of variation in two critically endangered hawaiian honeycreepers |
| topic | Avian microbiome Conservation Microbial ecology Molecular ecology Island biology Tropical birds |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/12291.pdf |
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