Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
05:19
Isolation and Identification of Bacterial Strains from Skin of Terrestrial Amphibians
Published on: June 17, 2025
Exploring the Development of Wild Microbiomes in the Eastern Fence Lizard
Michael S Grapin1, Justin Wright2, Jeremy Chen See2
1Biology, Juniata College, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, USA.
Environmental Microbiology Reports
|July 28, 2026
Summary
The Eastern Fence Lizard
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Microbiology
- Zoology
Background:
- Host-symbiote interactions are vital for host organism health and metabolic processes.
- Understanding reptilian gut microbiomes is crucial for ecological and evolutionary studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the natural variation in gut bacterial diversity in Eastern Fence Lizards (Sceloporus undulatus).
- To investigate how gut microbiome composition changes with age and diet in wild lizards.
Main Methods:
- 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed to profile bacterial communities in fecal samples.
- Samples were collected from lizards across four age groups and four distinct time points.
Main Results:
- Gut microbiome composition shifted from environmental bacteria in young lizards to specific taxa in adults, reflecting dietary changes.
- Juvenile lizards showed a simple microbiome that rapidly increased in diversity within a month.
- Adult lizards exhibited a more stable and resilient gut microbiome.
Conclusions:
- The Eastern Fence Lizard's gut microbiome evolves significantly from youth to adulthood.
- A mature lizard microbiome is diverse, balanced, and resilient, supporting functional redundancy and ecosystem stability.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Microbiota of the Urogenital Tract
The human urogenital system, once thought to be sterile in healthy individuals, is now recognized as a complex microbial habitat. Advancements in molecular sequencing techniques have revealed that even in healthy adults, the kidneys and bladder harbor microbial populations similar to those found in the distal urethra, albeit in much lower abundance. These resident microorganisms, while generally innocuous, can become opportunistic pathogens under conditions that alter the urogenital...
01:30Development of Human Microbiota
The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...
01:27Microbiota of the Large Intestine
The large intestine hosts the most densely populated microbial ecosystem in the human body. This complex community primarily consists of anaerobic bacteria, with Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) and Bacteroidota (formerly Bacteroidetes) as the predominant groups. The distribution of these microbes varies along different sections of the large intestine, influenced by local environmental factors such as oxygen availability and nutrient composition.The cecum, located at the beginning of the large...
01:28Development of the Oral Microbiota
The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...