Are fecal samples an appropriate proxy for amphibian intestinal microbiota?

ABSTRACT: The intestinal microbiota, an invisible organ supporting a host's survival, has essential roles in metabolism, immunity, growth, and development. Since intestinal microbiota influences a host's biology, application of such data to wildlife conservation has gained interest. There are standard protocols for studying the human intestinal microbiota, but no equivalent for wildlife. A major challenge is sampling the intestinal microbiota in an effective, unbiased way. Fecal samples are a popular proxy for intestinal microbiota because collection is non-invasive and allows for longitudinal sampling. Yet it is unclear whether the fecal microbiota is representative of the intestinal microbiota. In wildlife studies, research on the sampling methodology is limited. In this study focusing on amphibia

SUBMITTER: Lam IPY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10828907 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature