Giraffe microbioma communities defined by species, not diet

The giraffe microbiomy is made up of a variety of bacteria and fungi, and is mainly determined by the species of the giraffe – not by those they eat.

I recently ran into a study that surprised me: This study reports that the giraffe’s intestinal microbiomy is largely determined by his special and not by her diet. These findings highlight a sudden detachment between the diet and the composition of the intestinal flora. This is extraordinary because giraffes, like ruminants, depend entirely on their intestinal microbioma to disrupt the plant material they consume. Thus, the findings of this study change the foundations of our understanding of microbial microbial relationships.

How did the researchers bring this?

An international team of researchers made this startling discovery by ranking plants and DNAs found in fecal samples collected by three wild species, reticulated giraffes, masai giraffes and northern giraffes, living around the equator in Kenya (Figure 1).

To identify plants and bacteria in the giraffe faeces, the team relied on field works combined with DNA metabolism methodologies to investigate as the bacterial composition of giraffe microbioma and the identity of the plants they eat. DNA metabarkoding is a cost-effective method for identifying multiple species in a mixed sample, such as feces, using high-growing sequences.

“Giraffes are the largest ruminants in the world, but surprisingly little is known about their intestinal germs and how these microbial communities contribute to their nutrition, and overall health,” said the main author of the study, evolutionary microbiologist, Elin Viovall, who currently runs a research group studying the university diet.

What was the main purpose of this study?

“Given that the ruminants are fully relying on their intestinal germs to break the plant material, we have had to understand whether the dietary differences between the giraffe species formed their microbiomas – or if other factors played a more prevailing role,” Dr videovall explained to me in email.

Dr. Viovall and collaborators found that despite consuming a wide variety of plants over time, giraffe microbiomas remained extremely similar within each species.

“We expected that giraffes with similar diets would have similar microbiomas, but we found no such connection,” Dr videovall reported. “On the contrary, we saw that giraffes seem to carry specific microbiomas of species, even when individuals within the same species can eat groups of completely different plants.”

Geography strongly predicts giraffe’s diets

Dr. Viovall and associates revealed that although the giraffes eat in the country, they did not discover any lasting link between diet and microbiome or diversity composition.

“Our results will not support the conclusion that is the individual giraffe microbioma insensitive To change in his diet, “said the high author of the study, Conservation biologist Tyler Kartzinel, an associate professor at the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Biology at the Brown University.

“On the contrary, what we find is that the normal variety of microbioma interactions that occur in these populations are strongly formed by the identity of the host species and the population in which it occurs.”

This study suggests that the evolution of intestinal flora in the giraffes may be more complex than previously assumed, and this microbial community can actually be formed by long -term evolutionary processes that go beyond diet.

“I predicted to find stronger diet-mikrobiome links when we started this study,” Professor Kartzinel pointed to the email, “[but] The evidence we currently suggest that giraffes can store ‘normal’ microbiomets in a wide variety of environmental conditions and food resources. “

Dr. Viovall, Professor Kartzinel and collaborators also found that most of the major groups of bacteria living in the intestines of three giraffe taxes are similar in all three species of giraffe study, reflecting their latest evolutionary division.

“Even most of the bacterial” strains “that our recovered DNA method was separated from at least two of the species,” Professor Kartzinel told me. “These models are in line with the evidence that these giraffe species are recently changed in evolutionary history, and that they live in different places where they eat different foods.”

Further, Dr. Viovall, Professor Kartzinel and collaborators also found that at least some giraffe bacteria are similar to those found in other ruminants, including livestock and sheep.

“I will also note, for the benefit of my microbioma companions, which giraffes are the biggest rumors in the world. The whole of their digestive system is closely linked and inextricable to the proper functioning of its intestinal flora – just as it is in cows and sheep,” Professor Kartzinel explains. ” This excessive intestine of her home, so the discovery potential is difficult to overestimate. “

What did you surprise you most about the findings of this study?

“[W]Hat really surprised me was how many diets of the giraffe changed in all the populations we surveyed – even when we were comparing different populations of the same species – so I see ourselves asking themselves not so much about what makes their microbioms so different when they eat such similar diets, but what makes their microbioms so similar when they are so similar when their microbiomas are so. replied to the email.

“I predicted to find stronger diet-mikrobiome ties when we started this study, [but] The evidence we have currently suggested giraffes can store ‘normal’ microbiomets in a wide variety of environmental conditions and food resources, ”explained Professor Kartzinel in the email.

“Intestinal microbiomas are often diet -related because they are ultimately responsible for breaking the foods that giraffes eat – it’s like the engine that runs their digestive process – so we have had to consider any of these connections that can be strong enough to guarantee attention in conservation planning.”

In short, giraffes eat a wide variety of trees and shrubs that not only offer nutritional variety, but can serve as ‘hunger foods’ that giraffes may not like to eat especially, but that they can at least be temporarily supported during environmental shocks, such as the Megadrought that recently captured the region.

“Studying their intestinal microbioma can also provide knowledge of how species adapt to different environments and diets, which is essential for storage efforts, especially as habitats change,” Dr Violall added to the email.

Microbiomers can be important considerations for giraffe storage planning

Those who follow the state of Giraffe’s preservation know they are gathering in the wake of a silent ‘extinction’, where their populations are rapidly decreasing in nothing – but tragically, their uncertain situation is often overlooked, although Professor Kartzinel, Dr. Viovall and collaborators are working hard to change it.

“My group is known for its non -profit work and government agency for search advantages that can help maintain on the ground,” Professor Kartzinel said in the email.

“They are visible animals, miraculously adapted to their environment, but they are still so poorly understood: they are treated as a widespread species, though recent studies have supported at least four genetically distinct species [read more here] This should be given any defense, “Professor Kartzinel continued in the email.

Because all three species of study are endangered, any knowledge of what they eat is valuable information, especially when planning which areas are most important to maintain to ensure their continuous access to forage nutrient plants.

“We started this study as an international cooperation between academics and conservation professionals. Hopefully, our research can provide a better overview of giraffe diets and help support the preservation of giraffes, “summarized Professor Kartzinel.

Additional collaborations included in this study include the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, an NGO dedicated exclusively for the preservation of giraffes, the MPala Research Center, a pioneer cooperation between the United States and Kenya using field research in a interacted and printed variety, such as conservation, climate change, biodiversity, genetics field agriculture, a variety of interaction and oppressed, such as conservation, climate interaction, and public interaction, and interaction of interaction, and interaction of interaction, and interaction of interaction, and interaction, and interaction, and interaction, and interaction. East African Herbarium, which holds the largest botanical collection in tropical Africa.

Source:

Elin video, Brian A. Gill, Michael B. Brown, Hannah K. Hoff, Bethan L. Littleford-Colquhoun, Peter Lokeny, Paul M. Musili, and Tyler R. Kartzinel (2025). Diet-mikrobiome kovariation in three giraffe species in an area with close contact, Global ecology and storage, 58: E03480 | DOI: 10.1016/J.Gecco.2025.E03480

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