# Geographical diet variations and microbial diversity: insights into François' langur’s adaptive strategies

## TL;DR

This study explores how François' langurs adapt to different environments through their diet and gut microbiota, revealing insights for their conservation.

## Contribution

The study reveals how geographical diet variations influence gut microbiota in François' langurs, offering a non-invasive tool for conservation.

## Key findings

- Dietary composition varies significantly across geographically distinct François' langur populations.
- Gut microbiota composition differs between populations but not within the same region.
- Dominant plant taxa in the diet correlate with specific microbial phyla like Firmicutes and Proteobacteria.

## Abstract

The diversity in foraging behavior observed among species is indicative of
their ability to adapt to specific environmental conditions, with dietary
differences playing a crucial role in shaping the composition of gut
microbiota. However, there are limited reports on the dietary habits and gut
microbiota of François' langur (Trachypithecus
francoisi) across different wild geographical populations. To
address this, our study employed DNA metabarcoding and 16S rRNA sequencing
to investigate variations in dietary composition and their influence on gut
microbiota among distinct wild populations of François' langur, as
well as among different groups within the same region. The dietary analysis
revealed a broad diet, identifying 134 families and 336 genera of plants.
The habitat quadrat survey results indicate significant differences in the
habitats of François' langurs across different geographic
populations. However, the dietary composition analysis reveals that while
the food composition of different groups within the same region is
relatively similar, there are notable differences across geographically
distinct regions. The microbial community analysis demonstrated distinct
compositional and structural divergence in gut microbiota between these
populations, whereas no significant microbial differences were detected
among groups within the same region. Further correlation analysis between
diet and microbiota indicated that dominant plant taxa in the diet exhibited
significant associations with Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and other
microbial phyla, displaying varying degrees of positive or negative
correlations. This study elucidates how dietary variations among
geographically distinct populations of François' langur drive changes
in gut microbiota, reflecting their adaptive responses to local habitats.
These findings provide valuable insights for the conservation management of
François' langur populations and potential applications in health
status monitoring.

Understanding the mechanisms by which animals adapt to their environment
is essential for effective conservation efforts. This study examines the
endangered François' langur, focusing on the largely unexplored
relationship between its dietary habits and gut microbiota across
various wild populations. Our research indicates that although habitat
vegetation varies significantly even among groups within the same
region, their diets remain similar. Conversely, langur populations from
distinct geographic areas exhibit notable dietary differences. These
dietary variations, in turn, lead to distinct compositional differences
in their gut bacterial communities. This diet-microbiome interaction
serves as a crucial physiological indicator of how these primates adapt
to their local forest environments. By illustrating that gut microbiota
composition reflects an animal’s ecological response to its
environment, this study offers a powerful and non-invasive tool for
conservation. These findings are critical for developing targeted
strategies, such as habitat restoration, and for monitoring the health
of these rare primates through gut microbiome analysis.