Parasitic nematode communities of the red kangaroo, Macropus rufus: richness and structuring in captive systems. gut metagenome

Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the ITS2 region was used to assess the taxonomic composition and comparative structure of nematode communities (suborder strongylida) across seven captive red kangaroo populations. Our goal was to determine if captive management practices exert a significant impact on the transmission, establishment and dynamics of intracommunity competition in nematodes. Studies of this nature will contribute to the development of more effective captive management practices by elucidating the factors influencing community structure and infection dynamics in a group of parasites that can exert a profound influence on the health and viability of their host populations.