Assessing Fecal Microbial Diversity and Hormone Levels as Indicators of Gastrointestinal Health in Reintroduced Przewalski’s Horses (Equus ferus przewalskii).
Abstract: Diarrhea serves as a vital health indicator for assessing wildlife populations post-reintroduction. Upon release into the wild, wild animals undergo adaptation to diverse habitats and dietary patterns. While such changes prompt adaptive responses in the fecal microbiota, they also render these animals susceptible to gastrointestinal diseases, particularly diarrhea. This study investigates variations in fecal microorganisms and hormone levels between diarrhea-afflicted and healthy Przewalski's horses. The results demonstrate a significant reduction in the alpha diversity of the fecal bacterial community among diarrheal Przewalski's horses, accompanied by notable alterations in taxonomic composition. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes emerge as dominant phyla across all fecal samples, irrespective of health status. However, discernible differences in fecal bacterial abundance are observed between healthy and diarrhea-stricken individuals at the genus level, specifically, a diminished relative abundance of Pseudobutyrivibrio is observed. The majority of the bacteria that facilitate the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids, (), (), (), []_ (), , (), and _001 () are noted in diarrhea-affected Przewalski's horses, while Erysipelotrichaceae, Phoenicibacter, Candidatus_Saccharimonas (), and Mogibacterium are present in significantly increased amounts. Moreover, levels of immunoglobulin IgA and cortisol are significantly elevated in the diarrhea group compared with the non-diarrhea group. Overall, this study underscores substantial shifts in fecal bacterial diversity, abundance, and hormone levels in Przewalski's horses during episodes of diarrhea.
Publication Date: 2024-09-09 PubMed ID: 39272401DOI: 10.3390/ani14172616Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study examines the changes in gut bacteria and hormone levels in wild Przewalski’s horses affected by diarrhea, showing significant variations in these areas compared to healthy horses.
Background
- The research focuses on Przewalski’s horses that are reintroduced to the wild, who are typically exposed to new habitats and diets, causing potential changes within their gut bacteria and risk of gastrointestinal diseases, such as diarrhea.
Objective and Methodology
- The aim of the study was to investigate the variations in fecal microbiota and hormone levels between diarrhea-stricken and healthy Przewalski’s horses.
- It examined variations in the diversity and composition of the bacterial communities within the feces (also known as alpha diversity) and levels of particular hormones.
Findings
- The study found significant reductions in bacterial diversity in the feces of Przewalski’s horses with diarrhea.
- While certain types of bacteria (Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes) were present in all samples, there were notable differences in the abundance of other bacteria at a genus level between healthy and diarrhea-affected horses.
- In particular, horses with diarrhea had a reduced abundance of a certain bacteria named Pseudobutyrivibrio while having an increased presence of Erysipelotrichaceae, Phoenicibacter, Candidatus Saccharimonas, and Mogibacterium.
- Also observed was a decrease in the bacteria that help synthesize short-chain fatty acids, beneficial compounds for gut health.
Research Implications
- The findings suggest that significant changes occur in the gut bacteria and hormone levels of Przewalski’s horses when experiencing episodes of diarrhea.
- Notably, the researchers found elevated levels of cortisol and immunoglobulin IgA hormones in horses with diarrhea. Cortisol is a stress hormone, implicating that these horses were stressed, while IgA is an immune system component, suggesting an immune response.
- Overall, the results of this study offer insights into how wild horses’ gut health may be affected upon reintroduction to the wild and transition to new diets, providing important data for ongoing wildlife management efforts.
Cite This Article
APA
Li Z, Luo Z, Hu D.
(2024).
Assessing Fecal Microbial Diversity and Hormone Levels as Indicators of Gastrointestinal Health in Reintroduced Przewalski’s Horses (Equus ferus przewalskii).
Animals (Basel), 14(17), 2616.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14172616 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Qinghua East Road 35, Beijing 100083, China.
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Qinghua East Road 35, Beijing 100083, China.
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Qinghua East Road 35, Beijing 100083, China.
Grant Funding
- 30970545 / National Natural Science Foundation of China
Citations
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