ECM7 – Stockholm, Sweden, 21.8.2015

Tuomas Aivelo

University of Helsinki

tuomas.aivelo@helsinki.fi@aivelo

Rapid turnover in micro- and macrobiome of free-ranging primate

Microbiome research is trending

There's lack of studies connecting microbiome and other intestinal

organisms

Longitudinal series of parasites and microbiome very rare

Longitudinal study How helminth and

microbiome communities differ in dynamics?

How intestinal parasites affect microbiome?

Do microbiome affect intestinal microbiome infection probability?

Study system Rufous mouse lemur

(Microcebus rufus) Long-lived, small-sized, easy to

handle Eastern Madagascar Individuals followed for 2

(microbiome) or 3 (parasites) years

Fecal sampling: 16S sequencing microbiome, 18S sequencing nematodes, other parasites morphologically

Medlar et al. 2014 BMC Evolutionary Biology

Nematodes

Component community stable, but infracommunity variable

Aivelo et al. 2015 Parasitology

Nematodes

Component community stable, but infracommunity variable

Aivelo et al. 2015 Parasitology

Significant variables

- Infracommunity: - All putative species uniformly distributed over hosts- No effect of previous infection

- Component community: - Prevalence higher in 2011 than in 2012- No effect of sex or site

Aivelo et al. 2015 Parasitology Rafalinirna et al. In press Madagascar Conservation and Development

Significant variables

- Infracommunity: - All putative species uniformly distributed over hosts- No effect of previous infection

- Component community: - Prevalence higher in 2011 than in 2012- No effect of sex or site

Aivelo et al. 2015 Parasitology Rafalinirna et al. In press Madagascar Conservation and Development

Microbiome

On population level stable, in individual level highly variable

20122013

Aivelo et al. in prep

Microbiome

On population level stable, in individual level highly variable

2012

Aivelo et al. in prep

Microbiome

On population level stable, in individual level highly variable

2013Aivelo et al. in prep

Microbiome

On population level stable, in individual level highly variable

2013Aivelo et al. in prep

Significant variables

Aivelo et al. in prep

Parasite presence

Does not affect microbiome richness or diversity

EXCEPT:

20

40

60

No Eimeria EimeriaAivelo et al. in prep

Work under progress: Interactions

Aivelo et al. in prep

Why mouse lemurs are different?

Heterothermy? Small-size? Variation in food?

In nutshell

Both microbiome and macrobiome vary wildly in mouse lemurs

There seems to be interactions, but...

Random

Repeatability of 0.332

Aivelo et al. 2015 Parasitology