The effect of diet on the gastrointestinal microbiome of juvenile rehabilitating green turtles (Chelonia mydas).

ABSTRACT: Threatened and endangered green turtles (Chelonia mydas) are unique because as juveniles they recruit from pelagic to near-shore waters and shift from an omnivorous to primarily herbivorous diet (i.e. seagrass and algae). Nevertheless, when injured and ill animals are admitted to rehabilitation, animal protein (e.g. seafood) is often offered to combat poor appetite and emaciation. We examined how the fecal microbiome of juvenile green turtles changed in response to a dietary shift during rehabilitation. We collected fecal samples from January 2014 -January 2016 from turtles (N = 17) in rehabilitation at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and used next generation sequencing to analyze bacterial community composition. Samples were collected at admission, mid-rehabilitation, and recovery, which en

SUBMITTER: Bloodgood JCG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6961862 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature