# Similarities and differences: species and diet impact gut microbiota of captive pheasants

## TL;DR

This study explores how species and diet affect gut bacteria in captive pheasants, revealing differences that could help wildlife conservation.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into how diet and environment influence gut microbiota in two pheasant species.

## Key findings

- Firmicutes was the most abundant bacterial phylum in all fecal samples.
- Bacteroides was a common dominant genus, but other dominant genera varied between species and locations.
- Diet and living conditions significantly influenced gut microbiota composition and host metabolism.

## Abstract

The fecal microbiota plays an important role in maintaining animal health and is closely related to host life activities. In recent years, there have been an increasing number of studies on the fecal microbiota from birds. An exploration of the effects of species and living environments on the composition of gut microbiota will provide better protection for wildlife. In this study, non-injury sampling and 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing were used to investigate the bacterial composition and diversity of the fecal microbiota in silver pheasants (Lophura nycthemera) and golden pheasants (Chrysolophus pictus) from Tianjin Zoo and Beijing Wildlife Park. The results showed that the abundance of Firmicutes was the highest in all fecal samples. At the genus level, Bacteroides was the common dominant bacteria, while there were some differences in other dominant bacteria genera. There were significant differences in fecal microbial composition between the golden pheasants from Tianjin Zoo and Beijing Wildlife Park. The metabolic analysis and functional prediction suggested that the gut microbiota composition and host metabolism were influenced by dietary interventions and living conditions. The results of this study provide the basis for further research of intestinal microbial of L. nycthemera and C. pictus, and valuable insights for conservation of related species.