Microbial Diversity of Zoo-Resident Non-Human Primates

Vast numbers of microorganisms inhabit the mammalian gastrointestinal tract in a complex community referred to as the gut microbiome. While these communities are well-studied in human populations, non-human primates (NHPs), in particular zoo-resident or captive NHPs, offer distinct advantages to increasing our understanding of factors that influence gut microbiome composition. This study characterizes the gut microbiome composition of a phylogenetically diverse cohort of NHPs residing in the same urban zoo. Our results demonstrate that differences between NHP species are strongly associated with gut microbiome composition and diversity, suggesting that species-specific approaches should be considered when investigating environmental factors' influence on gut microbiome composition.