Diversity and composition of rumen microbiome in Sika deers (Cervus nippon yakushimae) from Yakushima Island, Japan. gut metagenome

We characterized the rumen microbiota of wild Yaku sika population by high throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. Rumen microbiota play a crucial role in digesting cellulolytic biomass for ruminant diet. Deer in Yakushima Island Japan, known as Yaku sika, graze a wide range of forage types, and have caused serious reduction of forest understory vegetation in the island while increasing their population. Dietary shifts in the host, observed especially with Yaku sika at highly populated areas, are expected to influence community composition in RM. Significantly higher diversity and distinct community structure were observed in Yaku sika from high-density areas compared to those from decreasing population density areas. These features may contribute to the flexibility of Yaku sika dietary shift and to maintain nutritional status under high density conditions.