Consistent spatial patterns in microbial taxa of red squirrel gut microbiomes.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Microbiology
• Genomics

Background:

• Gut microbiomes are complex ecosystems with poorly understood drivers of variation, particularly concerning spatial and temporal factors.
• Understanding these drivers is crucial for comprehending microbial community assembly in wild populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the key drivers of gut microbiome composition in the North American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus).
• To investigate the influence of spatial location and environmental factors on gut microbial communities over time.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of over 900 gut microbiome samples from red squirrels.
• Utilizing a large-scale dataset with spatiotemporal replication to assess microbial community assembly.
• Differentiating between core and non-core gut microbiomes to identify distinct spatial patterns.

Main Results:

• Spatial location emerged as a primary determinant of gut microbial community composition in red squirrels.
• The non-core gut microbiome exhibited highly localized spatial patterns across seasons and study areas.
• The core gut microbiome also displayed spatial patterns, though less pronounced than the non-core component.

Conclusions:

• Environmental transmission of microbiota is the most probable mechanism driving the observed spatiotemporal distribution of the red squirrel gut microbiome.
• Local environmental factors play a significant role in shaping the gut microbial communities of this species.