Skin Bacterial and Fungal Microbiome Responses to Diet Supplementation and Rewilding in the Critically Endangered...

The composition and dynamics of the skin bacterial and fungal microbiome is thought to influence host-pathogen defence. This microbial community is shaped by host captivity, diet, and microbial interactions between bacterial and fungal components. However, there remains little understanding of how specific micronutrients influence bacterial and fungal microbiome composition and their inter-domain interactions during rewilding of captive-bred animals. This study experimentally investigated the effect of dietary beta-carotene supplementation and subsequent field release on bacterial and fungal microbiome composition and dynamics using the Southern Corroboree frog (Pseudophryne corroboree) as a model system. We found large-scale diversification of bacterial communities post-release and similar diversification of fungal communities. The rewilded fungal mycobiome was more transient and demonstrated stronger temporal and micro-spatial fluctuations than the bacterial microbiome. Accounting for temporal and spatial factors, we found strong residual associations between bacterial members, yet limited evidence for inter-domain associations, suggesting that co-occurrence patterns between bacterial and fungal communities are largely a result of shared responses to the environment rather than direct interactions. Lastly, we found supplementation of dietary beta-carotene in captivity had no impact on post-release microbiome diversity, yet was associated with approximately 15% of common bacterial and fungal genera. Our research demonstrates that environmental factors play a dominant role over dietary beta-carotene supplementation in shaping microbiome diversity post-release, and suggest inter-domain interactions may also only exert a minor influence. Further research on the function and ecology of skin bacterial and fungal microbiomes will be crucial for developing strategies to support survival of endangered amphibian species.