Differences in the Gut Microbiota of the black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) across Different Regions in China

Pengcheng Yang¹Habib Bati¹Erhui Feng²Jingyao Hu¹Xian An¹Rongzeng Tan¹Xinyue Dou¹Taoyue Chen¹Yifan Tao¹Liangliang Yang^3*Shuqiang Liu^1*

• ¹Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
• ²Hainan Dongzhaigang National Nature Resrve Authority, Haikou, China, Haikou, China
• ³State Forestry Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Protection, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China

The black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) is a first-class protected species in China, and its gut microbiota composition and function play a crucial role in its ecological adaptability. However, existing studies have limited information on the regional variations and adaptation mechanisms of gut microbiota in this rare species. In this study, we explored the gut microbiota diversity and ecological adaptability of P. minor in Shenzhen, Dongfang, Danzhou, and Xinying, China, to reveal key factors affecting bacterial composition. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing and bioinformatics analysis to determine the diversity and abundance of the gut microbiota in P. minor across different regions at the phylum, family, and species levels. Although the gut microbiota of P. minor was dominated by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, the abundance and function of the gut microbiota differed significantly by region. The Shenzhen population's microbiota exhibited the highest diversity in pathways related to light and chemical energy utilization, whereas the Danzhou population's microbiota was enriched in pathways for energy metabolism and cell repair. The results showed that regional differences in the gut microbiota of P. minor are closely related to its ecological adaptation mechanism, providing a new scientific basis for understanding its ecological adaptability and formulating conservation strategies.