Impacts of coprophagic foraging behaviour on the avian gut microbiome.

Dunbar, A; Drigo, B; Djordjevic, SP; Donner, E; Hoye, BJ

Impacts of coprophagic foraging behaviour on the avian gut microbiome.

Dunbar, A Drigo, B Djordjevic, SP Donner, E Hoye, BJ

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Publisher:: Wiley
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc, 2023
Issue Date:: 2023-12-08

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Dunbar, A
dc.contributor.author	Drigo, B
dc.contributor.author	Djordjevic, SP
dc.contributor.author	Donner, E
dc.contributor.author	Hoye, BJ
dc.date.accessioned	2024-01-12T03:13:31Z
dc.date.available	2023-11-27
dc.date.available	2024-01-12T03:13:31Z
dc.date.issued	2023-12-08
dc.identifier.citation	Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc, 2023
dc.identifier.issn	1464-7931
dc.identifier.issn	1469-185X
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/174354
dc.description.abstract	Avian gut microbial communities are complex and play a fundamental role in regulating biological functions within an individual. Although it is well established that diet can influence the structure and composition of the gut microbiota, foraging behaviour may also play a critical, yet unexplored role in shaping the composition, dynamics, and adaptive potential of avian gut microbiota. In this review, we examine the potential influence of coprophagic foraging behaviour on the establishment and adaptability of wild avian gut microbiomes. Coprophagy involves the ingestion of faeces, sourced from either self (autocoprophagy), conspecific animals (allocoprophagy), or heterospecific animals. Much like faecal transplant therapy, coprophagy may (i) support the establishment of the gut microbiota of young precocial species, (ii) directly and indirectly provide nutritional and energetic requirements, and (iii) represent a mechanism by which birds can rapidly adapt the microbiota to changing environments and diets. However, in certain contexts, coprophagy may also pose risks to wild birds, and their microbiomes, through increased exposure to chemical pollutants, pathogenic microbes, and antibiotic-resistant microbes, with deleterious effects on host health and performance. Given the potentially far-reaching consequences of coprophagy for avian microbiomes, and the dearth of literature directly investigating these links, we have developed a predictive framework for directing future research to understand better when and why wild birds engage in distinct types of coprophagy, and the consequences of this foraging behaviour. There is a need for comprehensive investigation into the influence of coprophagy on avian gut microbiotas and its effects on host health and performance throughout ontogeny and across a range of environmental perturbations. Future behavioural studies combined with metagenomic approaches are needed to provide insights into the function of this poorly understood behaviour.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Wiley
dc.relation.ispartof	Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1111/brv.13036
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	06 Biological Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Evolutionary Biology
dc.subject.classification	31 Biological sciences
dc.title	Impacts of coprophagic foraging behaviour on the avian gut microbiome.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - AIMI - Australian Institute for Microbiology & Infection
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2024-01-12T03:13:29Z
pubs.publication-status	Published online

Abstract:

Avian gut microbial communities are complex and play a fundamental role in regulating biological functions within an individual. Although it is well established that diet can influence the structure and composition of the gut microbiota, foraging behaviour may also play a critical, yet unexplored role in shaping the composition, dynamics, and adaptive potential of avian gut microbiota. In this review, we examine the potential influence of coprophagic foraging behaviour on the establishment and adaptability of wild avian gut microbiomes. Coprophagy involves the ingestion of faeces, sourced from either self (autocoprophagy), conspecific animals (allocoprophagy), or heterospecific animals. Much like faecal transplant therapy, coprophagy may (i) support the establishment of the gut microbiota of young precocial species, (ii) directly and indirectly provide nutritional and energetic requirements, and (iii) represent a mechanism by which birds can rapidly adapt the microbiota to changing environments and diets. However, in certain contexts, coprophagy may also pose risks to wild birds, and their microbiomes, through increased exposure to chemical pollutants, pathogenic microbes, and antibiotic-resistant microbes, with deleterious effects on host health and performance. Given the potentially far-reaching consequences of coprophagy for avian microbiomes, and the dearth of literature directly investigating these links, we have developed a predictive framework for directing future research to understand better when and why wild birds engage in distinct types of coprophagy, and the consequences of this foraging behaviour. There is a need for comprehensive investigation into the influence of coprophagy on avian gut microbiotas and its effects on host health and performance throughout ontogeny and across a range of environmental perturbations. Future behavioural studies combined with metagenomic approaches are needed to provide insights into the function of this poorly understood behaviour.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/174354