This document discusses a longitudinal study of the microbiome and intestinal parasites of rufous mouse lemurs in Madagascar over 2-3 years. Key findings include: 1) The nematode community was stable at the population level but variable between individuals. 2) The microbiome was stable at the population level but highly variable between individuals over time. 3) Intestinal parasite presence generally did not affect the microbiome, except in some interactions still under investigation.

1. 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

2. Microbiome research is trending

3. There's lack of studies connecting
microbiome and other intestinal
organisms

4. Longitudinal series of parasites and
microbiome very rare

5. Longitudinal study

How helminth and
microbiome
communities differ in
dynamics?

How intestinal parasites
affect microbiome?

Do microbiome affect
intestinal microbiome
infection probability?

6. 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

7. Nematodes

Component community stable, but
infracommunity variable
Aivelo et al. 2015 Parasitology

8. Nematodes

Component community stable, but
infracommunity variable
Aivelo et al. 2015 Parasitology

9. 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

10. 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

11. Microbiome

On population level stable, in individual level
highly variable
2012
2013
Aivelo et al. in prep

12. Microbiome

On population level stable, in individual level
highly variable
2012
Aivelo et al. in prep

13. Microbiome

On population level stable, in individual level
highly variable
2013
Aivelo et al. in prep

14. Microbiome

On population level stable, in individual level
highly variable
2013
Aivelo et al. in prep

15. Significant variables
Aivelo et al. in prep

16. Parasite presence

Does not affect microbiome richness or
diversity

EXCEPT:
Aivelo et al. in prep

17. Work under progress: Interactions
Aivelo et al. in prep

18. Why mouse lemurs are different?

Heterothermy?

Small-size?

Variation in food?

19. In nutshell

Both microbiome and macrobiome vary wildly in
mouse lemurs

There seems to be interactions, but...

20. Random
Repeatability
of 0.332
Aivelo et al. 2015 Parasitology