Relating gut microbiome composition and life history metrics for pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) in the Red Desert, Wyoming.

ABSTRACT: Host microbial communities (hereafter, the 'microbiome') are recognized as an important aspect of host health and are gaining attention as a useful biomarker to understand the ecology and demographics of wildlife populations. Several studies indicate that the microbiome may contribute to the adaptive capacity of animals to changing environments associated with increasing habitat fragmentation and rapid climate change. To this end, we investigated the gut microbiome of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), an iconic species in an environment that is undergoing both climatic and anthropogenic change. The bacterial composition of the pronghorn gut microbiome has yet to be described in the literature, and thus our study provides important baseline information about this species. We used 16S rRNA

SUBMITTER: Buchanan CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11236126 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature