Distinct gut microbiomes in two polar bear subpopulations inhabiting different sea ice ecoregions.
Gut microbiomes were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding for polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea (SB), where sea ice loss has led to increased use of land-based food resources by bears, and from East Greenland (EG), where persistent sea ice has allowed hunting of ice-ass...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-04340-2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35017585 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8752607/ |
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ftpubmed:35017585 2024-09-15T17:58:47+00:00 Distinct gut microbiomes in two polar bear subpopulations inhabiting different sea ice ecoregions. Franz, Megan Whyte, Lyle Atwood, Todd C Laidre, Kristin L Roy, Denis Watson, Sophie E Góngora, Esteban McKinney, Melissa A 2022 Jan 11 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-04340-2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35017585 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8752607/ eng eng Nature Publishing Group https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-04340-2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35017585 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8752607/ © 2022. The Author(s). Sci Rep ISSN:2045-2322 Volume:12 Issue:1 Journal Article 2022 ftpubmed https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-04340-2 2024-07-25T16:05:00Z Gut microbiomes were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding for polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea (SB), where sea ice loss has led to increased use of land-based food resources by bears, and from East Greenland (EG), where persistent sea ice has allowed hunting of ice-associated prey nearly year-round. SB polar bears showed a higher number of total (940 vs. 742) and unique (387 vs. 189) amplicon sequence variants and higher inter-individual variation compared to EG polar bears. Gut microbiome composition differed significantly between the two subpopulations and among sex/age classes, likely driven by diet variation and ontogenetic shifts in the gut microbiome. Dietary tracer analysis using fatty acid signatures for SB polar bears showed that diet explained more intrapopulation variation in gut microbiome composition and diversity than other tested variables, i.e., sex/age class, body condition, and capture year. Substantial differences in the SB gut microbiome relative to EG polar bears, and associations between SB gut microbiome and diet, suggest that the shifting foraging habits of SB polar bears tied to sea ice loss may be altering their gut microbiome, with potential consequences for nutrition and physiology. Article in Journal/Newspaper Beaufort Sea East Greenland Greenland Sea ice Ursus maritimus PubMed Central (PMC) Scientific Reports 12 1 |
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PubMed Central (PMC) |
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English |
description |
Gut microbiomes were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding for polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea (SB), where sea ice loss has led to increased use of land-based food resources by bears, and from East Greenland (EG), where persistent sea ice has allowed hunting of ice-associated prey nearly year-round. SB polar bears showed a higher number of total (940 vs. 742) and unique (387 vs. 189) amplicon sequence variants and higher inter-individual variation compared to EG polar bears. Gut microbiome composition differed significantly between the two subpopulations and among sex/age classes, likely driven by diet variation and ontogenetic shifts in the gut microbiome. Dietary tracer analysis using fatty acid signatures for SB polar bears showed that diet explained more intrapopulation variation in gut microbiome composition and diversity than other tested variables, i.e., sex/age class, body condition, and capture year. Substantial differences in the SB gut microbiome relative to EG polar bears, and associations between SB gut microbiome and diet, suggest that the shifting foraging habits of SB polar bears tied to sea ice loss may be altering their gut microbiome, with potential consequences for nutrition and physiology. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Franz, Megan Whyte, Lyle Atwood, Todd C Laidre, Kristin L Roy, Denis Watson, Sophie E Góngora, Esteban McKinney, Melissa A |
spellingShingle |
Franz, Megan Whyte, Lyle Atwood, Todd C Laidre, Kristin L Roy, Denis Watson, Sophie E Góngora, Esteban McKinney, Melissa A Distinct gut microbiomes in two polar bear subpopulations inhabiting different sea ice ecoregions. |
author_facet |
Franz, Megan Whyte, Lyle Atwood, Todd C Laidre, Kristin L Roy, Denis Watson, Sophie E Góngora, Esteban McKinney, Melissa A |
author_sort |
Franz, Megan |
title |
Distinct gut microbiomes in two polar bear subpopulations inhabiting different sea ice ecoregions. |
title_short |
Distinct gut microbiomes in two polar bear subpopulations inhabiting different sea ice ecoregions. |
title_full |
Distinct gut microbiomes in two polar bear subpopulations inhabiting different sea ice ecoregions. |
title_fullStr |
Distinct gut microbiomes in two polar bear subpopulations inhabiting different sea ice ecoregions. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Distinct gut microbiomes in two polar bear subpopulations inhabiting different sea ice ecoregions. |
title_sort |
distinct gut microbiomes in two polar bear subpopulations inhabiting different sea ice ecoregions. |
publisher |
Nature Publishing Group |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-04340-2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35017585 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8752607/ |
genre |
Beaufort Sea East Greenland Greenland Sea ice Ursus maritimus |
genre_facet |
Beaufort Sea East Greenland Greenland Sea ice Ursus maritimus |
op_source |
Sci Rep ISSN:2045-2322 Volume:12 Issue:1 |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-04340-2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35017585 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8752607/ |
op_rights |
© 2022. The Author(s). |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-04340-2 |
container_title |
Scientific Reports |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
1 |
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1810435720630763520 |