Diet induces parallel changes to the gut microbiota and problem solving performance in a wild bird.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Animal Behavior
• Microbiome Research

Background:

• The gut microbiome influences host behavior via the microbiome-gut-brain axis.
• The ecological significance of diet-induced behavioral changes in wild animals remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the ecological relevance of microbiome-mediated behavioral plasticity in wild great tits (Parus major).
• To determine if dietary changes affect gut microbial composition and problem-solving behavior.

Main Methods:

• Wild great tits were presented with a problem-solving task.
• Gut microbiome composition was analyzed.
• Birds were fed either an insect (low fat, protein, fiber) or a seed (high fat, protein, fiber) diet to manipulate the gut microbiome.
• Problem-solving performance was assessed after dietary manipulation.

Main Results:

• Gut microbial diversity was lower in birds fed an insect diet compared to a seed diet.
• Birds on the insect diet were less likely to solve the problem-solving task.
• Microbiota metrics altered by diet also correlated with problem-solving performance variations.

Conclusions:

• Dietary shifts can alter gut microbial communities in wild birds.
• These diet-induced changes in the gut microbiome may contribute to individual behavioral plasticity.
• Further research is needed to differentiate between direct nutritional effects and microbiome-mediated effects on behavior.