Analysis of the Intestinal and Faecal Bacterial Microbiota of the Cervidae Family Using 16S Next-Generation Sequencing: A Review.

The Cervidae family has a wide distribution due to its adaptation to numerous ecological environments, which allows it to develop a diverse microbial community in its digestive tract. Recently, research has focused on the taxonomic composition and functionality of the intestinal and faecal microbiota of different cervid species worldwide, as well as their microbial diversity and variation under different associated factors such as age, sex, diet, distribution, and seasonal variation. In addition, there is special interest in knowing how cervids act as reservoirs of zoonotic pathogenic microorganisms, which represent a threat to public health. This review provides a synthesis of the growing field of microbiota determination in cervids worldwide, focusing on intestinal and faecal samples using 16S next-generation sequencing. It also documents factors influencing microbial diversity and composition, the microorganisms reported as pathogenic/zoonotic, and the perspectives regarding the conservation of these species. Knowing the interactions between bacteria and cervid health can drive management and conservation strategies for these species and help develop an understanding of their evolutionary history and the interaction with emerging disease-causing microorganisms.

An evolutionary perspective on genetic load in small, isolated populations as informed by whole genome resequencing and forward-time simulations.

Small populations are vulnerable to increased genetic load and drift that can lead to reductions in fitness and adaptive potential. By analyzing 66 individual whole genomes of Montezuma Quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae) from multiple populations, we illustrate how genetic load is dynamic over evolutionary time. We show that Montezuma Quail are evolving like a ring species, where the terminal extant populations from Arizona and Texas have been separated for ~16,500 years. The Texas populations have remained small but stable since the separation, whereas the Arizona population is much larger today but has been contracting for thousands of years. Most deleterious mutations across the genome are young and segregating privately in each population and a greater number of deleterious alleles are present in the larger population. Our data indicate that ancestral load is purged during strong bottlenecks, but the reduced efficiency of selection in small populations means that segregating deleterious mutations are more likely to rise in frequency over time. Forward-time simulations indicate that severe population declines in historically large populations is more detrimental to individual fitness, whereas long-term small populations are more at risk for reduced adaptive potential and population-level fitness. Our study highlights the intimate connections among evolutionary history, historical demography, genetic load, and evolutionary potential in wild populations.

Influencia del hábitat en la diversidad de aves insectívoras en un sistema agroforestal enclavado en un Bosque Mesófilo de Montaña / Influence of the habitat on the diversity of insectivorous birds in agroforestry systems embedded in a Mountain Mesophilic Forest

Resumen Los sistemas agroforestales pueden representar importantes nichos ecológicos que coadyuven a la conservación de la diversidad avifaunística. El objetivo de este trabajo fue estimar y comparar la diversidad y uso de hábitat de aves insectívoras en sistemas agroforestales enclavados en un bosque mesófilo de montaña. Se efectuó el monitoreo de aves de agosto de 2018 a enero de 2019 en tres hábitats: café tradicional (CT), potrero (PT) y bosque mesófilo de montaña (BMM). Se determinaron índices de abundancia relativa (IAR), riqueza (Jacknife1), similitud (Jaccard) y diversidad (Shannon-Wiener). El IAR presentó valores bajos para los tres hábitats. El método Jacknife1 denotó una riqueza promedio considerable para las tres áreas (CT: 33.02, PT: 24.20, BMM: 9.98, CT-PT-BMM: 52.22). La técnica de Jaccard registró poca similitud en la riqueza, reafirmando el efecto del hábitat, composición y estructura florística como factores determinantes, al mismo tiempo que estableció promedios de diversidad alta obtenidos mediante el método de Shannon-Wiener (H´= 3.3; 3.1; 2.27; 3.78, respectivamente), revelando una diversidad relativamente estable en los tres hábitats. Por su parte, Kruskal-Wallis advirtió diferencias en la diversidad, pero no para la riqueza y la abundancia. Se evidenció la conformación declústeresy agrupaciones que encontraron mayor similitud entre la riqueza y la abundancia de especies por cada monitoreo aplicado. El análisis de componentes principales indicó mayor correlación del hábitat y la vegetación utilizados para la alimentación en el estrato herbáceo y arbóreo, en alturas que van de 5 m a 10 m, utilizando el estrato aéreo para vuelo. Los sistemas agroforestales estudiados constituyeron un nicho de oportunidad en donde la avifauna halló alimento, áreas de nidación y reproducción. Se recomienda la implementación de buenas prácticas de manejo agroforestal que coadyuven a la conservación de especies.

Abstract Agroforestry systems can represent important ecological niches that contribute to the conservation of bird diversity. The objective of this work was to estimate and compare the diversity and habitat use of insectivorous birds in agroforestry systems located in a montane cloud forest. Bird monitoring was carried out from August 2018 to January 2019 in three habitats: traditional coffee plantation (CT), paddock (PT) and montane cloud forest (BMM). Relative abundance (IAR), richness (Jacknife1), similarity (Jaccard) and diversity (Shannon-Wiener) indices were determined. The IAR presented low values for the three habitats. The Jacknife1 method denoted considerable average richness for the three areas (CT: 33.02, PT: 24.20, BMM: 9.98, CT-PT-BMM: 52.22). The Jaccard technique recorded little similarity in richness, reaffirming the effect of habitat, composition and floristic structure as determining factors, which at the same time established high diversity averages, obtained by the Shannon-Wiener method (H´= 3.3; 3.1 ; 2.27; 3.78, respectively), revealing a relatively stable diversity in the three habitats. For his part, Kruskal-Wallis noticed differences in diversity, but not for richness and abundance. The formation of clusters and groups that found greater similarity between the richness and abundance of species for each applied monitoring was evidenced. Principal component analysis indicated a higher correlation of habitat and vegetation used for feeding in the herbaceous and arboreal stratum, at heights ranging from 5 m to 10 m, using the aerial stratum for flight. The agroforestry systems studied constituted a niche of opportunity where the avifauna found food, nesting and reproduction areas. The implementation of good agroforestry management practices that contribute to the conservation of species is recommended.

Influence of FecGE mutation on the reproductive variables of Pelibuey ewes in the anestrus period.

The growth and differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) intervenes in the fecundity and prolificacy of the ewe, which are important variables that participate in the reproductive efficiency of a flock. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of FecGE mutation of the gene GDF9 in the natural response of the manifestation to estrus, return to estrus, ovulation rate, pregnancy, lambing, prolificacy, and fecundity rate in Pelibuey ewes, during the anestrus period. The sequences of the exon 2 of the gene GDF9 were obtained from blood samples collected in Whatman™ FTA™ cards from 42 multiparous Pelibuey ewes with reproductive records. For this purpose, the quality of the sequences was analyzed and the polymorphisms and genotypes were searched for. The ewes were grouped according to their group: (a) homozygous or Embrapa (GG), (b) wild (AA), and (c) group without gene (sG). All the ewes studied manifested estrus behavior, but none showed signs of return to estrus after natural mating (p > 0.05); likewise, the pregnancy and lambing rates (p > 0.05) did not show differences between groups. However, the group GG presented higher ovulation rate, prolificacy, and fecundity rate (p < 0.05), compared to groups AA and sG. Although no differences were found in the manifestation of estrus, return to estrus, and percentage of pregnancy and lambing in females from the genotypes studied, the homozygous ewes GG presented 1.22 and 1.72 more corpus luteum (CL, p < 0.05), prolificacy of 0.7 and 0.7, and fecundity rate of 0.8 and 1.0 more lambs per ewe (p < 0.05) than the ones produced by the wild-type AA and sG groups, respectively.

SEROPREVALENCE OF ANTIBODIES AGAINST MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM SUBSP. PARATUBERCULOSIS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO AGE AND SEX OF TEXAS WHITE-TAILED DEER (ODOCOILEUS VIRGINIANUS) IN COAHUILA, MEXICO.

Paratuberculosis (PTB) is a disease that affects cattle (Bos taurus), goats (Capra aegagrus hircus), sheep (Ovis aries), and wild animals, such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), since all ruminants are susceptible. The causal agent is Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). The disease is chronic, consumptive, and incurable; it causes chronic granulomatous gastroenteritis with lymphangiectasis and lymphangitis leading to a syndrome of malnutrition and eventually to death. Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis is transmitted in feces mainly orally; however, it can also be transmitted vertically. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of MAP antibodies and its relationship to age and sex of Texas white-tailed deer in the subclinical stage of PTB in Coahuila, Mexico. The entire population (n=99) belonging to the Wildlife Management and Conservation Unit (WMCU) San Juan, Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico was captured. Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis was diagnosed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay by serologic test. Seroprevalence variables of adult vs. young females and males vs. females were compared. The treatments were assigned at random. For the analysis of data, the chi-square test was used. Total seroprevalence in an intensive WMCU was 16% (16/99). Total seroprevalence by sex was 5.0% (5/99) for males and 11% (11/99) for females, and total seroprevalence by age was 7% (7/99) for young and 9% (9/99) for adult. Within sex, the seroprevalence in males was 16% (5/31) and 16% (11/68) in females. There were no statistical differences for any of the comparisons. Total seroprevalence of the white-tailed deer population in the WMCU was 16%, and PTB seroprevalence was independent of sex or age of the sampled individuals of this population.

Effect of ruminally protected methionine on body weight gain and growth of antlers in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the humid tropics.

Sixteen male red deer (Cervus elaphus), with an initial weight of 93.83 ± 4.38 kg were used to study the effect of the dietary level of ruminally protected methionine (RPM) on growth, antler morphometry and serum metabolites. The deer were allowed to graze and were individually supplemented with concentrate to provide 0, 2.5, 3.5 or 4.5 g/day of RPM for 65 days. There was a quadratic effect on daily weight gain (0.163, 0.098, 0.147 and 0.172 kg/day; P < 0.005) and antler beam length (59.7, 63.6, 63.0 and 57.2 cm; P < 0.02) for RPM levels of 0 to 4.5 g/day, respectively. The brow tine length and the number of points were similar across all treatments. Serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) was reduced (quadratic effect; P < 0.02; 22.0, 29.6, 18.0 and 17.8 IU/l) to RPM levels of 0 to 4.5 g/day, respectively, whereas other metabolites (glucose, cholesterol, urea, creatinine, total protein and serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT]) were unchanged. Increasing the RPM dose did not affect weight gain or antler growth. Methionine supplementation reduced the activity of SGPT.

Caracterización morfométrica de cuatro subespecies de venado cola blanca (Odocoileus virginianus) en la zona noreste de México / Morphometric charaterization of four white-tailed deer subspecies (Odocoileus virginianus) in the northeas region of Mexico

Con el objetivo de contribuir en la definición de las subespecies de venado cola blanca de México, se determinó la variabilidad morfométrica de las subespecies (Odocoileus virginianus carminis, O.v. miquihuanensis, O.v. texanus y O.v. veraecrucis) que se distribuyen en el Noreste de México. Se analizó la información de 592 individuos (579 O. v. texanus, seis O.v. veraecrucis, cuatro O.v. miquihuanesis y tres O.v. carminis), y 49 cráneos de O.v. texanus. La comparación entre la morfometría histórica y la del presente estudio mostró un 98% de similitud para O.v carminis, O.v. miquihuanensis y O.v veraecrucis y un 96% para O.v. texanus. Los contrastes otorgonales mostraron diferencias morfométricas (P<0,05) entre las subespecies. En O.v. texanus, la longitud total tendió a ser de mayor tamaño que en las otras subespecies, mientras que O.v. veraecrucis mostró diferencias significativas respecto a O.v. carminis y O.v. miquihuanesis en todas las variables. La mayor similitud por Distancia Euclidiana se presentó entre los machos de O.v. carminis y O.v. miquihuanensis (5,1), mientras que la de menor similitud fue entre los machos de O.v. texanus y los de las otras tres subespecies (19,9). Los machos adultos de Tamaulipas se diferenciaron significativamente (P<0,05) de los de Coahuila y Nuevo León.

Estimación de la capacidad nutricional de carga para cyrtonyx montezumae / Estimation of nutritional carrying capacity for cyrtonyx montezumae

Se estimo la capacidad nutricional de carga para la codorniz montezuma (Cyrtonyx montezumae) en las estaciones de invierno y primavera en el municipio Aculco, estado de México. Se evaluó la disponibilidad de biomasa de bulbos de Oxalis en zonas de transición entre pastizal y bosque, determinando la cantidad de bulbos a una profundidad de 5 cm. El consumo se estimó con base al requerimiento energético y el contenido dietario de energía metabolizable, obteniendo un consumo de 17 g/día de Oxalis por cordorniz adulta. La disponibilidad de materia seca (MS) de bulbos de Oxalis tuvo una gran variación entre localidades y estaciones. No se detectó interacción sitio por estación (P>0,05). Se encontró una mayor disponiblidad en la primavera (3,02) que en invierno (1,29 g MS/m²). La capacidad nutricional de carga por hectárea de hábitat fue de 8,14 y 19,06 codornices en invierno y primavera, respectivamente