Season as a discriminating factor for faecal metabolomic composition of great tits (Parus major)

Authors

  • Roschong Boonyarittichaikij Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke
  • Beata Pomian Laboratory of Chemical Analysis, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke
  • Daan Daan Dekeukeleire Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent
  • Luc Lens Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent
  • Dries Bonte Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent
  • Kris Verheyen Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, 9090 Gontrode
  • Frank Pasmans Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke
  • An Martel Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke
  • Elin Verbrugghe Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26496/bjz.2020.79

Keywords:

metabolomics, great tit, faeces, season, scaled mass index

Abstract

The microbiome of wild birds has been associated with health status and risk of disease development, but underlying metabolomic mechanisms are still unknown. Metabolites produced by microbial organisms may affect host metabolic processes and by doing so influence host health. Here we provide for the first time data on the faecal metabolome of wild great tits (Parus major) by analyzing metabolites associations with age, sex, season and body condition. Using untargeted metabolomics, we analyzed faecal samples from 112 great tits that were caught in a deciduous forest fragment in Flanders (Belgium) during late autumn and 19 animals that were re-captured during early spring. In this study, no significant associations between the faecal metabolites and age, sex and body condition were observed. However, season was shown to be a discriminating factor for the metabolomic composition of great tits, suggesting an impact of environmental factors.

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Published

2020-10-06

How to Cite

Boonyarittichaikij, R., Pomian, B., Daan Dekeukeleire, D., Lens, L., Bonte, D., Verheyen, K., … Verbrugghe, E. (2020). Season as a discriminating factor for faecal metabolomic composition of great tits (Parus major). Belgian Journal of Zoology, 150. https://doi.org/10.26496/bjz.2020.79

Issue

Vol. 150 (2020)

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Articles

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