Uropygial gland microbiota differ between free-living and captive songbirds.

ABSTRACT: Symbiotic microbes can affect host behavior and fitness. Gut microbiota have received the most study, with less attention to other important microbial communities like those of scent-producing glands such as mammalian anal glands and the avian uropygial gland. However, mounting evidence suggests that microbes inhabiting scent-producing glands play an important role in animal behavior by contributing to variation in chemical signals. Free-living and captive conditions typically differ in social environment, food diversity and availability, disease exposure, and other factors-all of which can translate into differences in gut microbiota. However, whether extrinsic factors such as captivity alter microbial communities in scent glands remains an open question. We compared the uropygial gland m

SUBMITTER: Grieves LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9622905 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature