Variation and assembly mechanisms of <i>Rhinolophus ferrumequinum</i> skin and cave environmental fungal communities during hibernation periods.

ABSTRACT: Animal skin acts as the barrier against invasion by pathogens and microbial colonizers. Environmental microbiota plays a significant role in shaping these microbial communities, which, in turn, have profound implications for host health. Previous research has focused on characterizing microorganisms on bats' skin and in their roosting environments, particularly bacterial communities. The emergence of white-nose syndrome, caused by the fungal-pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans, highlights the importance of understanding fungal dynamics in cave ecosystems and on bats' skin. In this study, we employed ITS amplicon sequencing to investigate the fungal community associated with the skin of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum and surfaces within hibernacula. In addition, we utilized neutr

SUBMITTER: Leng H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11878040 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature