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Host Ecology Shapes Gut Pathogen Evolution: An Eco-Evolutionary Trade-Off in Plateau Wildlife
Yu Wang1, Yunyun Zhang1, Liyuan Feng1
1School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
Environmental Microbiology
|June 5, 2026
Summary
Host ecology shapes gut pathogen communities. Plateau zokors in burrows had more pathogens and genes, while pikas exposed to diverse environments had higher diversity but lower abundance, revealing distinct eco-evolutionary strategies.
Area of Science:
- Microbial Ecology
- Host-Pathogen Interactions
- One Health
Background:
- Intestinal tracts of wildlife are key pathogen reservoirs.
- Mechanisms linking host ecology to pathogen community assembly are poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how distinct host ecological niches influence pathogen community assembly and gene dynamics.
- To compare pathogen distribution, virulence factor genes (VFGs), and pathogen-host interaction (PHI) genes in plateau zokors and plateau pikas.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study (2.5 years) comparing subterranean plateau zokors (Eospalax baileyi) and aboveground plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae).
- Metagenomic analysis to assess pathogen abundance, diversity, VFGs, PHI genes, and mobile genetic elements (MGEs).
- Co-occurrence network analysis to explore microbial community structure.
Main Results:
- Plateau zokors showed higher pathogen, VFG, and PHI gene abundance in stable, pathogen-rich burrows, with complex co-occurrence networks.
- Plateau pikas exhibited higher pathogen and gene diversity but lower abundance in diverse environments, with simpler networks.
- VFGs, PHI genes, and MGEs were closely associated, suggesting joint transfer.
- Animal weight and precipitation influenced pathogen dynamics.
Conclusions:
- Host ecology, specifically distinct niches, dictates pathogen distribution, transmission, and gene dynamics in wildlife gut microbiomes.
- Gut microbiome composition reflects an eco-evolutionary trade-off between niche stability and environmental exposure.
- Findings highlight the gut as a nexus for animal and environmental health, impacting One Health dynamics.
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