The intestinal microbiome of the immigranted Leiothrix argentauris produced convergent adaptation with that of the native population

To evaluate the important role of vertebrate gut microbiota plasticity in promoting host adaptation to environmental changes, two subspecies of Silver-eared Mesia (Leiothrix argentauris) living in the same population were studied. On the one hand, the composition, diversity and function of gut microbiota of native (Leiothrix argentauris rubrogularis) and immigrant (Leiothrix Argentauris Vernayi) species were analyzed to explore whether phenotypic (phylogenetic) inconsistencies between hosts feed back into their gut microbiota under essentially similar environmental conditions. On the other hand, we analyzed the taxonomic composition and functional metabolic composition of the intestinal microbiota of L.argentauris under heavy metal stress, aiming to explore whether the plasticity of the gut microbiome provides the host with enhanced adaptation to the environment.