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The gut microbiome is critical to good animal health and environmental factors are influential on the microbiome. Environmental variations such as altered ecosystems, degraded habitats, deforestation or captivity may have negative impacts on host-microbiome communities, and cripple host fitness, making it a vital issue for ecology research.   In this blog, we will explore the...

A recent article from the Smithsonian Magazine highlights the importance of animal gut microbiomes in conserving animal species, both in captivity and in the wild. Microbes help animals digest their food, defend them against disease and even contribute to nursing their babies. Consequently, animal ecologists, nutritionists, and veterinarians work alongside geneticists to illuminate the role...