Huang Lijing, Zheng Yanchu, Feng Shaohua, Wu Bangyuan, Chen Li, Xu Xiaoqin, Wang Bin, Li Wanhong, Zhou Caiquan, Zhang Long
Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation, Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637000, China.
Sichuan Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Research Center, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, China.
Animals (Basel). 2024 Nov 26;14(23):3418. doi: 10.3390/ani14233418.
The Chinese monal () is a large-sized and vulnerable (VU in IUCN) bird from southwestern China. This study applied 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing to comprehensively examine the gut microbiota of captive Chinese monals (located in Baoxing, Sichuan, China) across varying seasons and life stages. Dominant bacterial phyla identified included Proteobacteria, , , and . Significant seasonal and age-associated shifts were observed within specific bacterial groups, particularly marked by seasonal fluctuations in beta diversity. Moreover, linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) and functional predictions highlighted distinct winter signatures, indicating possible functional shifts in energy metabolism and disease resistance. In mid-aged adults, an expansion of suggested an elevated susceptibility of the gut microbiota of Chinese monals to chronic disorders and microbial imbalance. Putative pathogenic bacteria exhibited increased abundance in spring and summer, likely driven by temperature, host physiological cycles, interspecies interactions, and competition. These findings imply that the diversity, and structure of the gut microbiota in captive Chinese monals are strongly influenced by seasonal and age-related factors. The insights provided here are essential for improving breeding strategies and preventing gastrointestinal diseases in captivity.
绿尾虹雉（）是一种大型且濒危（在国际自然保护联盟中列为易危）的鸟类，原产于中国西南部。本研究应用16S rRNA高通量测序技术，全面检测了圈养绿尾虹雉（位于中国四川宝兴）在不同季节和生命阶段的肠道微生物群。鉴定出的主要细菌门包括变形菌门、 、 和 。在特定细菌类群中观察到了显著的季节性和年龄相关变化，特别是在β多样性方面的季节性波动尤为明显。此外，线性判别分析效应大小（LEfSe）和功能预测突出了明显的冬季特征，表明能量代谢和抗病能力可能发生了功能转变。在中年成年绿尾虹雉中， 的扩张表明其肠道微生物群对慢性疾病和微生物失衡的易感性增加。推测的病原菌在春季和夏季丰度增加，可能是由温度、宿主生理周期、种间相互作用和竞争驱动的。这些发现表明，圈养绿尾虹雉肠道微生物群的多样性和结构受到季节和年龄相关因素的强烈影响。本文提供的见解对于改进圈养繁殖策略和预防胃肠道疾病至关重要。
