Gut Microbiomes of Wild Birds

The complex interdependence between animal hosts and their microbial symbionts enhances the survival and adaptability of organisms through specific functional collaborations. This association often leads to phylosymbiosis, where closely related species exhibit more similar microbiome compositions compared to distantly related species. However, evidence of phylosymbiosis in avian gut microbiomes remains scarce. To explore this, we compared the fecal microbiomes of 10 passerine bird species using 16S rRNA bacterial gene sequencing. Our findings indicate that while avian microbiomes are sensitive to short-term environmental changes, they exhibit evolutionary conservatism at higher taxonomic levels due to natural selection pressures during long-term adaptation to host niches.