Wild Avian Gut Microbiome at a Small Spatial Scale: A Study from a Mediterranean Island Population of Alectoris rufa.

ABSTRACT: This research is one of the few comparative descriptions at an intraspecific level of wild non-passerine microbiomes. We investigated for the first time the gut microbiome of red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) using fecal pellets in order to provide a more informed management. We focused on a small Italian population consisting of two demes (WEST, EAST) separated by about 20 km on the opposite sides of Elba Island. Given the small spatial scale, we set up a sampling protocol to minimize contamination from environmental bacteria, as well as differences due to variations in-among others-habitat, season, and age of feces, that could possibly affect the investigation of the three Elban sites. We found a significant divergence between the WEST and EAST Elban subpopulations in terms o

SUBMITTER: Guerrini M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10648672 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature