Amphibian gut microbiota shifts differentially in community structure but converges on habitat-specific predicted functions

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13699
• Publication Date: 2016-12-15T13:22:57Z
• Authors: Molly C. Bletz; Daniel J. Goedbloed; Eugenia Sanchez; Timm Reinhardt; Christoph C. Tebbe; Sabin Bhuju; Robert Geffers; Michael Jarek; Miguel Vences; Sebastian Steinfartz
• Keywords: Environmental change

Abstract Complex microbial communities inhabit vertebrate digestive systems but thorough understanding of the ecological dynamics and functions host-associated microbiota within natural habitats is limited. We investigate role environmental conditions in shaping gut skin under by performing a field survey reciprocal transfer experiments with salamander larvae inhabiting two distinct (ponds streams). show that are habitat-specific, demonstrating factors mediate community structure. Reciprocal reveals microbiota, not responds differentially to change. Stream-to-pond shift their pond-to-pond larvae, whereas pond-to-stream change structure from both habitat controls. Predicted functions, however, match destination cases. Thus, function can be matched without taxonomic coherence appears exhibit metagenomic plasticity.