| Abstract: | Preservation of indigenous gastrointestinal microbiota is deemed to be critical for successful captivebreeding of endangered wild animals, yet its biology is poorly understood. Here, we investigated cecalbacterial communities in wild Japanese rock ptarmigans (Lagopus muta japonica) and comparedthem with those in Svalbard rock ptarmigans (L. m. hyperborea) in captivity. Ultra-deepsequencing of 16S rRNA gene indicated that the community structure of cecal microbiota in wild rock ptarmiganswas remarkably different from that in captive Svalbard rock ptarmigans. Fundamental differences betweenbacterial communities in the two groups of birds were detected at the phylum level. Firmicutes,Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Synergistetes were the major phyla detected in wild Japanese rockptarmigans, whereas Firmicutes alone occupied more than 80% of abundance in captive Svalbard rock ptarmigans.Furthermore, unclassified genera of Coriobacteriaceae, Synergistaceae, Bacteroidaceae, Actinomycetaceae,Veillonellaceae and Clostridiales were the major taxa detected in wild individuals, whereas in zoo-rearedbirds, major genera were Ruminococcus, Blautia, Faecalibacterium andAkkermansia. Zoo-reared birds seemed to lack almost all rock ptarmigan-specific bacteria intheir intestine, which may explain the relatively high rate of pathogenic infections affecting them. We showevidence that preservation and reconstitution of indigenous cecal microflora are critical for successfulex situ conservation and future re-introduction plan for the Japanese rock ptarmigan. |
