Gut Microbial Communities of Captive and Wild Siberian Cranes and Their Associations with Soil Microbiota in Poyang Lake Wetlands, China

Gut microbiota are integral to host health and ecological adaptation, yet their interactions with environmental microbial communities remain understudied in migratory waterbirds. Using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we compared gut microbiota of captive and wild Siberian cranes (Leucogeranus leucogeranus) and their associations with soil microbiota in the Poyang Lake wetland. Alpha diversity was significantly higher in soil than in gut microbiota, with captive cranes exhibiting greater microbial richness and evenness than wild individuals. Beta diversity analysis revealed distinct gut and soil microbiomes, with partial overlap between captive and wild crane gut microbiota. Firmicutes dominated gut communities, with Ligilactobacillus and Romboutsia enriched in captive cranes, whereas Acidobacteria were predominant in soil. Potential pathogens (e.g., Escherichia-Shigella) were more abundant in wild cranes and soil. LEfSe analysis identified 34 differentially enriched taxa, and microbial network analysis indicated stronger gut–soil microbial associations than those between captive and wild hosts, suggesting that environmental microbiota may serve as reservoirs for host colonization. These findings highlight the ecological dynamics shaping gut microbiota in response to captivity and environmental exposure, providing insights into microbial contributions to conservation strategies for Siberian cranes.