A1 Journal article (refereed)
Applying the Anna Karenina principle for wild animal gut microbiota : temporal stability of the bank vole gut microbiota in a disturbed environment (2020)

Lavrinienko, A., Tukalenko, E., Kesäniemi, J., Kivisaari, K., Masiuk, S., Boratyński, Z., Mousseau, T. A., Milinevsky, G., Mappes, T., & Watts, P. C. (2020). Applying the Anna Karenina principle for wild animal gut microbiota : temporal stability of the bank vole gut microbiota in a disturbed environment. Journal of Animal Ecology, 89(11), 2617-2630. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13342

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Lavrinienko, Anton; Tukalenko, Eugene; Kesäniemi, Jenni; Kivisaari, Kati; Masiuk, Sergii; Boratyński, Zbyszek; Mousseau, Timothy A.; Milinevsky, Gennadi; Mappes, Tapio; Watts, Phillip C.

Journal or series: Journal of Animal Ecology

ISSN: 0021-8790

eISSN: 1365-2656

Publication year: 2020

Volume: 89

Issue number: 11

Pages range: 2617-2630

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13342

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/71866

Abstract

Gut microbiota play an important role in host health. Yet, the drivers and patterns of microbiota imbalance (dysbiosis) in wild animals remain largely unexplored. One hypothesised outcome of stress on animal microbiomes is a destabilised microbial community that is characterised by an increase in inter-individual differences compared with microbiomes of healthy animals, which are expected to be (i) temporally stable and (ii) relatively similar among individuals. This set of predictions for response of microbiomes to stressors is known as the Anna Karenina principle (AKP) for animal microbiomes. We examine the AKP in a wild mammal inhabiting disturbed environments by conducting a capture-mark-recapture survey of bank voles (Myodes glareolus) in areas that contrast in levels of radionuclide contamination (Chernobyl, Ukraine). Counter to key predictions of the AKP, bank voles that are not exposed to radionuclides harbour variable (increased inter-individual differences) and temporally dynamic gut microbiota communities, presumably tracking the natural spatio-temporal variation in resources. Conversely, bank voles exposed to radionuclides host more similar gut microbiota communities that are temporally stable, potentially due to a dysbiosis or selection (on host or bacteria) imposed by chronic radiation exposure. The implication of these data is that environmental stress (radiation exposure) can constrain the natural spatial and temporal variation of wild animal gut microbiota.

Keywords: radiobiology; ionising radiation; exposure; gastrointestinal microbiota; wildlife; Clethrionomys glareolus

Free keywords: Anna Karenina principle; Chernobyl; anthropogenic disturbance; environmental stress; gut dysbiosis; radiation exposure; stable isotope analysis

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Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2020

JUFO rating: 2