The gut microbiota of wild wintering great bustard (): survey data from two consecutive years.

BACKGROUND

The composition of the intestinal microbiota plays a significant role in modulating host health. It serves as a sensitive evaluation indicator and has substantial implications in protecting endangered species. Great Bustards are typical farmland-dependent wintering birds that are highly susceptible to the interference of human activities. However, information regarding their gut microbiota remains scarce.

METHODS

To ensure a comprehensive analysis of this crucial data, we collected fecal samples from wild Great Bustards at their wintering habitat for two consecutive years. High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was subsequently applied to characterize their core gut microbiota and determine whether the gut microbial composition was similar or varied interannually.

RESULTS

The gut microbiota of the Great Bustard was primarily comprised of four phyla: Firmicutes (82.87%), Bacteroidetes (7.98%), Proteobacteria (4.49%), and Actinobacteria (3.67%), accounting for 99.01% of the microbial community in all samples. Further analysis revealed 22 genera of core microbes and several pathogens. Notably, there were no significant differences in the alpha-diversity and beta-diversity between the two sample groups from different years.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides essential information for assessing the health and developing targeted protective measures of this threatened species.