The world has been predominantly microbial since the beginning of life, and microbes have shaped the evolution of all animals. The gut is a good example of a microbial organ. It needs microbes for its natural function. The main interest of this investigation is to understand the role of microbial diversity in the gut. This project uses as a model a very special animal, the herbivorous crop-fermenting hoatzin. This bird is the only known case with fermentative digestion in the crop, analogous to the rumen of cattle. The expanding genomic resources -survey of 16SrRNA genes and DGGE- will be used to characterize the crop bacterial community and its pattern of development. A determination will be made of how the chicks increase the diversity of their bacterial communities as they grow, following a succession of microbes, in which early microbial colonizers facilitate the colonization of newer species. A high proportion of the adult crop microbial diversity will be characterized. The work described in this proposal will add a microbial component to our understanding of the evolution of fermentative digestion, relevant to the colon of all mammals. The project will consolidate collaborations between University of Puerto Rico, mainland US Institutions, and South American researchers, bringing a unique opportunity to expose students to tropical biodiversity and expand their research experience. Information on such an unusual bird can be expected to receive attention in the lay press as well as the scientific literature.The hoatzin is a great reference in education on alimentary ecology, microbial community structure, ornithology and conservation biology.
