CHINESE researchers have recently revealed that the plasticity of gut microbiota is a key factor assisting ungulates in better adapting to different regions on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in western China.

This study provides insights into how gut microbiota help hosts adapt to local diets as ungulates migrate to different areas on “the roof of the world,” according to the Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology (NWIPB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Conducted by an NWIPB research team, the study further unveiled the host-microbiota synergy mechanism of plateau wildlife, thereby providing a scientific basis for formulating targeted protection strategies. These findings were published in the journal mSystems.

“Revealing how wildlife adapts to different regions has always been a goal of conservation biology, especially as global biodiversity deteriorates,” said Zhang Tongzuo, leader of the study.

The Qinghai-Xizang Plateau boasts diverse habitats and a rich variety of wild animals, including blue sheep, a species of ungulates with the widest distribution and the largest population in the region.

The team collected and analyzed the composition of gut microbial metabolites in blue sheep from three regions of the plateau — the Qinghai Lake basin, the Kunlun Mountains, and the Sanjiangyuan area.

Compared with their peers living in the other two regions, blue sheep in the Qinghai Lake basin possess gut microbiota that help them digest hard-to-digest foods and thrive in the tough environment, researchers found.(Xinhua)