Microbial adaption of chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) to different seasons in the Bavarian alps

As an inhabitant of the Alps, chamois are not only exposed to strong climatic changes throughout the year, but are also strongly confronted with changing forage availability. Besides horizontal and vertical migratory movements as an adaptation, it undergoes physiological adaptations and the ruminal microbiota also adapts. The following study using 48 chamois of different ages and sexes to investigate to which extent the ingested food plants, the resulting crude nutrients in the rumen contents and the bacterial microbiota and their fermentation products were influenced by the changes over the seasons. Very little is known about the microbiota of wild ruminants and many bacterial taxa could only be determined to certain taxonomic levels in this study. However, the significant changes in the ingested forage and the resulting crude nutrients are clearly reflected in the adapted microbiota. For some taxa, clear functional relationships could be shown. In addition, a core microbiota of 15 genera could be defined, which forms the main part of the microbial community throughout the year. The successful and flexible adaptation of chamois is clearly reflected in the nutrient and in the microbial profile.