Meeting Abstract

83-4   14:15 - 14:30  The composition and seasonal dynamics of the gut microbiome in an herbivorous carnivore - the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) Williams, CE*; Brown, AE; Williams, CL; University of Nevada, Reno; Mississippi State University; San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance williams.claire.e@gmail.com

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a small, endangered mammal resident to bamboo forests in the Himalayas. Despite being a member of Carnivora, red pandas are predominantly herbivorous, relying on bamboo for 98% of their diet. How they extract sufficient nutrients from bamboo remains unclear, as they have minimal anatomical gastrointestinal adaptations to facilitate this. In true herbivores, such as ruminants, the gut microbiome plays an important role in degradation and processing of structural carbohydrates. In addition, the microbiome has a role in modulating host immune function, metabolism, and other factors which influence health and disease in animals. However, the role of the gut microbiome in red pandas remains unclear. It is unknown whether the microbiome is important for the processing of bamboo, or how the seasonal changes in bamboo’s chemical and nutrient composition may in turn impact the gut microbiome. Here, we utilize a longitudinal 16S and ITS microbiome sequencing dataset of captive adult red pandas (n = 12) to explore the seasonal volatility of their gut microbial communities. In addition, we sequenced the microbial communities of diet items in order to determine whether diet - or other factors - contributes to the structure and stability of the red panda gut microbiome. We found that the red panda has a bacterial gut community that fluctuates seasonally, but a fungal community that remains relatively stable. While the red panda gut harbors a unique microbial community that is not found in food items, the bacterial and fungal taxa contributed by and found in diet items are particularly important for structuring the gut microbiome. Currently, we are comparing our results to other herbivores, to determine how the gut microbiota’s role in red pandas compares to the digestive strategies of organisms across the tree of life.