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Buthgamuwa I, Fenelon JC, Roser A, Meer H, Johnston SD, Dungan AM. Gut microbiota in the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus Aculeatus) shows stability across gestation. Microbiologyopen 2023; 12:e1392. [PMID: 38129978 PMCID: PMC10721944 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Indigenous gut microbial communities (microbiota) play critical roles in health and may be especially important for the mother and fetus during pregnancy. Monotremes, such as the short-beaked echidna, have evolved to lay and incubate an egg, which hatches in their pouch where the young feeds. Since both feces and eggs pass through the cloaca, the fecal microbiota of female echidnas provides an opportunity for vertical transmission of microbes to their offspring. Here, we characterize the gut/fecal microbiome of female short-beaked echidnas and gain a better understanding of the changes that may occur in their microbiome as they go through pregnancy. Fecal samples from four female and five male echidnas were obtained from the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary in Queensland and sequenced to evaluate bacterial community structure. We identified 25 core bacteria, most of which were present in male and female samples. Genera such as Fusobacterium, Bacteroides, Escherichia-Shigella, and Lactobacillus were consistently abundant, regardless of sex or gestation stage, accounting for 58.00% and 56.14% of reads in male and female samples, respectively. The echidna microbiome remained stable across the different gestation stages, though there was a significant difference in microbiota composition between male and female echidnas. This study is the first to describe the microbiome composition of short-beaked echidnas across reproductive phases and allows the opportunity for this novel information to be used as a metric of health to aid in the detection of diseases triggered by microbiota dysbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isini Buthgamuwa
- School of BioSciencesUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Jane C. Fenelon
- School of BioSciencesUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Colossal Laboratories and BiosciencesDallasTexasUSA
| | - Alice Roser
- Currumbin Wildlife SanctuaryCurrumbinQueenslandAustralia
| | - Haley Meer
- Currumbin Wildlife SanctuaryCurrumbinQueenslandAustralia
| | - Stephen D. Johnston
- School of EnvironmentThe University of QueenslandGattonQueenslandAustralia
- School of Veterinary ScienceThe University of QueenslandGattonQueenslandAustralia
| | - Ashley M. Dungan
- School of BioSciencesUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
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Perry T, West E, Eisenhofer R, Stenhouse A, Wilson I, Laming B, Rismiller P, Shaw M, Grützner F. Characterising the Gut Microbiomes in Wild and Captive Short-Beaked Echidnas Reveals Diet-Associated Changes. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:687115. [PMID: 35847103 PMCID: PMC9279566 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.687115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome plays a vital role in health and wellbeing of animals, and an increasing number of studies are investigating microbiome changes in wild and managed populations to improve conservation and welfare. The short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is an iconic Australian species, the most widespread native mammal, and commonly held in zoos. Echidnas are cryptic animals, and much is still unknown about many aspects of their biology. Furthermore, some wild echidna populations are under threat, while echidnas held in captivity can have severe gastric health problems. Here, we used citizen science and zoos to collect echidna scats from across Australia to perform the largest gut microbiome study on any native Australian animal. Using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding of scat samples, we characterised and compared the gut microbiomes of echidnas in wild (n = 159) and managed (n = 44) populations, which were fed four different diets. Wild echidna samples were highly variable, yet commonly dominated by soil and plant-fermenting bacteria, while echidnas in captivity were dominated by gut commensals and plant-fermenting bacteria, suggesting plant matter may play a significant role in echidna diet. This work demonstrates significant differences between zoo held and wild echidnas, as well as managed animals on different diets, revealing that diet is important in shaping the gut microbiomes in echidnas. This first analysis of echidna gut microbiome highlights extensive microbial diversity in wild echidnas and changes in microbiome composition in managed populations. This is a first step towards using microbiome analysis to better understand diet, gastrointestinal biology, and improve management in these iconic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahlia Perry
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Ella West
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Raphael Eisenhofer
- Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Alan Stenhouse
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Isabella Wilson
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | | | - Peggy Rismiller
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Pelican Lagoon Research and Wildlife Centre, Penneshaw, SA, Australia
| | - Michelle Shaw
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Taronga Wildlife Nutrition Centre, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, NSW, Australia
| | - Frank Grützner
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Stenhouse A, Perry T, Grützner F, Rismiller P, Koh LP, Lewis M. COVID restrictions impact wildlife monitoring in Australia. BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION 2022; 267:109470. [PMID: 35136243 PMCID: PMC8814614 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The global COVID-19 pandemic has imposed restrictions on people's movement, work and access to places at multiple international, national and sub-national scales. We need a better understanding of how the varied restrictions have impacted wildlife monitoring as gaps in data continuity caused by these disruptions may limit future data use and analysis. To assess the effect of different levels of COVID-19 restrictions on both citizen science and traditional wildlife monitoring, we analyse observational records of a widespread and iconic monotreme, the Australian short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), in three states of Australia. We compare citizen science to observations from biodiversity data repositories across the three states by analysing numbers of observations, coverage in protected areas, and geographic distribution using an index of remoteness and accessibility. We analyse the effect of restriction levels by comparing these data from each restriction level in 2020 with corresponding periods in 2018-2019. Our results indicate that stricter and longer restrictions reduced numbers of scientific observations while citizen science showed few effects, though there is much variation due to differences in restriction levels in each state. Geographic distribution and coverage of protected and non-protected areas were also reduced for scientific monitoring while citizen science observations were little affected. This study shows that citizen science can continue to record accurate and widely distributed species observational data, despite pandemic restrictions, and thus demonstrates the potential value of citizen science to other researchers who require reliable data during periods of disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Stenhouse
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Tahlia Perry
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
- The Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Frank Grützner
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
- The Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Peggy Rismiller
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Lian Pin Koh
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Megan Lewis
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
- The Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
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Lawes JC, Croft DB. Habitat use over winter by short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus) at an intermittently flowing creek in arid north-western New South Wales. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1071/am20066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The heterogeneity of resource distribution in arid environments plays an important role in habitat selection by consumers. The productivity of the riparian zones of intermittently flowing creeks is typically prolonged, relative to the hinterland, as moisture and nutrients concentrate there. Short-beaked echidnas, Tachyglossus aculeatus, sustain arid populations, attributed to ant and termite availability, low predation, and an ability to exploit habitat remnants. However, the scale of their movements in arid habitats is poorly understood. Thus, we investigated echidna home ranges and the importance of food and shelter availability in habitat selection over one winter. We focussed on the riparian zone of a creek at Mount Wood in Sturt National Park, north-western New South Wales, Australia. Radio tracking (VHF and GPS), scat and habitat selection analyses were conducted. Mean core and peripheral home range areas were 0.16 and 1.042 km2, respectively, with a mean home range overlap of 0.56 km2. Habitat selection differed between juveniles and adults and may have been driven by prey availability (predominantly ants). The preferred shelter was thick leaf litter. We concluded that habitat selection patterns were driven by prey availability (ants) and shelter (leaf litter).
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Nicol SC. Diet, feeding behaviour and echidna beaks: a review of functional relationships within the tachyglossids. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1071/am20053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Echidnas are commonly known as ‘spiny ant-eaters’, but long-beaked echidnas (Zaglossus spp.) do not eat ants, whereas short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus) eat other invertebrates as well as ants. The differences in skull morphology between short- and long-beaked echidnas are related to the differences in their diets, and I tested the hypothesis that there would be differences in beak length of short-beaked echidnas from populations with different diets. Published data on diet from echidnas from different parts of Australia show that echidnas from arid and semi-arid areas (subspecies acanthion) and Kangaroo Island (subspecies multiaculeatus) principally eat ants and termites, whereas the main dietary items of echidnas from south-eastern Australia (subspecies aculeatus) and Tasmania (subspecies setosus) are ants and scarab larvae. Using museum specimens and photographs I measured skull dimensions on echidnas from different parts of Australia: acanthion and multiaculeatus have narrower skulls and shorter beaks than aculeatus and setosus, with setosus being the only Australian subspecies where beak length exceeds cranium length. Australian short-beaked echidnas fall into two groups: aculeatus and setosus from the wetter east and south-east, which eat ant and scarab larvae, and the arid and semi-arid zone acanthion and multiaculeatus, with shorter, narrower skulls, and which eat ants and termites.
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Abstract
Abstract
Tachyglossus aculeatus (Shaw, 1792) is a monotreme commonly called the short-beaked echidna. Although considered Australia’s most common native mammal because of its continent-wide distribution, its population numbers everywhere are low. It is easily distinguished from all other native Australian mammals because of its spine-covered body, hairless beak, and unique “rolling” gait. The five subspecies, one of which is found in Papua New Guinea, show variations in fur density, spine diameter, length, and number of grooming claws. The Kangaroo Island short-beaked echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus multiaculeatus is listed as “Endangered” but all other Tachyglossus are listed as “Least Concern” in the 2016 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Red List.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peggy D Rismiller
- Pelican Lagoon Research & Wildlife Centre, Penneshaw, South Australia, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Frank Grutzner
- The Environment Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Nicol SC, Morrow GE, Harris RL. Energetics meets sexual conflict: The phenology of hibernation in Tasmanian echidnas. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stewart C. Nicol
- School of Natural Sciences University of Tasmania Hobart TAS Australia
| | - Gemma E. Morrow
- School of Natural Sciences University of Tasmania Hobart TAS Australia
- School of Environmental and Rural Sciences University of New England Armidale NSW Australia
| | - Rachel L. Harris
- School of Natural Sciences University of Tasmania Hobart TAS Australia
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology Duke University Durham NC USA
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Davies GTO, Kirkpatrick JB, Cameron EZ, Carver S, Johnson CN. Ecosystem engineering by digging mammals: effects on soil fertility and condition in Tasmanian temperate woodland. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:180621. [PMID: 30800338 PMCID: PMC6366199 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.180621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Many small- and medium-sized mammals dig for their food. This activity potentially affects soil condition and fertility. Digging is well developed especially in Australian mammals, many of which have recently become rare or extinct. We measured the effects of digging by mammals on soil in a Tasmanian temperate dry sclerophyll forest with an intact mammal community. The density of diggings was 5812 ha-1, affecting 11% of the forest floor. Diggings were created at a rate of around 3113 diggings ha-1 yr-1, disturbing 6.5% of the forest floor and displacing 7.1 m3 ha-1 of soil annually. Most diggings were made by eastern bettongs (Bettongia gaimardi) and short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus). Many (approx. 30%) fresh diggings consisted of re-excavations of old diggings. Novel diggings displaced 5 m3 ha yr-1 of soil. Diggings acted as traps for organic matter and sites for the formation of new soil, which had higher fertility and moisture content and lower hardness than undisturbed topsoil. These effects on soil fertility and structure were strongest in habitats with dry and poor soil. Creation of fine-scaled heterogeneity by mammals, and amelioration of dry and infertile soil, is a valuable ecosystem service that could be restored by reintroduction of digging mammals to habitats from which they have declined or gone extinct.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. T. O. Davies
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - J. B. Kirkpatrick
- Discipline of Geography and Spatial Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 78, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - E. Z. Cameron
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - S. Carver
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - C. N. Johnson
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
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Abstract
In 1803, the French anatomist Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire decided that the newly described echidna and platypus should be placed in a separate order, the monotremes, intermediate between reptiles and mammals. The first physiological observations showed monotremes had low body temperatures and metabolic rates, and the consensus was that they were at a stage of physiological development intermediate between "higher mammals" and "lower vertebrates." Subsequent studies demonstrated that platypuses and echidnas are capable of close thermoregulation in the cold although less so under hot conditions. Because the short-beaked echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus, may show very large daily variations in body temperature, as well as seasonal hibernation, it has been suggested that it may provide a useful model of protoendotherm physiology. Such analysis is complicated by the very significant differences in thermal relations between echidnas from different climates. In all areas female echidnas regulate Tb within 1°C during egg incubation. The lactation period is considered to be the most energetically expensive time for most female mammals but lactating echidnas showed no measurable difference in field metabolic rate from non-lactating females, while the lactation period is more than 200 days for Kangaroo Island echidnas but only 150 days in Tasmania. In areas with mild winters echidnas show reduced activity and shallow torpor in autumn and early winter, but in areas with cold winters echidnas enter true hibernation with Tb falling as low as 4.5°C. Monotremes do not possess brown adipose tissue and maximum rates of rewarming from hibernation in echidnas were only half those of marmots of the same mass. Although echidnas show very large seasonal variations in fat stores associated with hibernation there is no relationship between plasma leptin and adiposity. Leptin levels are lowest during post-reproductive fattening, supporting suggestions that in evolutionary terms the anorectic effects of leptin preceded the adiposity signal. BMR of platypuses is twice that of echidnas although maximum metabolism is similar. High levels of thyroid hormones in platypuses may be driving metabolism limited by low body temperature. Monotremes show a mosaic of plesiomorphic and derived features but can still inform our understanding of the evolution of endothermy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stewart C. Nicol
- Biological Sciences, University of TasmaniaHobart, TAS, Australia
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Stannard HJ, Bekkers JM, Old JM, McAllan BM, Shaw ME. Digestibility of a new diet for captive short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus). Zoo Biol 2017; 36:56-61. [DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Revised: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hayley J. Stannard
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Charles Perkins Centre; University of Sydney; Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | | | - Julie M. Old
- School of Science and Health; Western Sydney University; Richmond New South Wales Australia
| | - Bronwyn M. McAllan
- Discipline of Physiology; School of Medical Sciences and Bosch Institute; The University of Sydney; New South Wales Australia
| | - Michelle E. Shaw
- Taronga Wildlife Hospital; Taronga Conservation Society Australia; Mosman New South Wales Australia
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