Gut Microbiome Variations in Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) from Different Environments in the United Kingdom.

ABSTRACT: Over the last century, anthropogenic activities have contributed to habitat degradation and fragmentation but have also affected the individual health of animals. In this study, we investigated the effect of environmental differences on the gut microbiome of Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) by collecting fresh faecal samples from ten geographically different populations in the UK, including captive and wild birds, and comparing the resulting gut microbiome diversity and composition. A significantly higher alpha diversity was identified in captive gulls than in urban and suburban gulls for the 46 sequenced samples. When comparing gut microbiome composition, urban inhabitants exhibited a higher abundance of Ligilactobacillus and a lower abundance of Streptococcus than su

SUBMITTER: Kan WT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12837678 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature