PRJNA554505
The effect of the koala microbiome on diet
Differences between individuals in the composition and function of their gastrointestinal (GI) microbiomes can lead to variation in their ability to persist on particular diets. Koalas are dietary specialists, feeding exclusively on Eucalyptus foliage but some individuals will not feed on particular eucalypts that are koala food species, even when facing starvation. We undertook a faecal inoculation experiment to test whether a koala's GI microbiome constrains or influences their diet.