Abstract
Because of their range expansion across North America, coyotes (Canis
latrans) now occur sympatrically with numerous other predator species,
including red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). This raises several interesting
ecological questions, including if and how sympatry affects the diet and
gut microbiomes of coyotes and red foxes. We examined the gut
microbiomes of sympatric populations of coyotes and red foxes within two
different National Parks in Virginia, USA, that differ in land use,
vegetation, and anthropogenic disturbance: Prince William Forest Park
(PRWI) and Manassas National Battlefield Park (MANA). From 2012 to 2017,
scat samples from PRWI and MANA were collected and analyzed. Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification of a region of the mitochondrial
cytochrome-b gene followed by restriction enzyme digestion of the PCR
product was used to determine the origin of each scat sample.
Next-Generation DNA sequencing of a hypervariable 16S rRNA gene region
was used to determine gut microbiome information about the scat samples.
There was no evidence for a difference between the gut microbiomes of
red foxes in either location, or for a difference between the gut
microbiomes of red foxes at either location and coyotes at the location
with lower human disturbance, PRWI. However, the gut microbiomes of
coyotes at the location with higher anthropogenic disturbances, MANA,
revealed a marked change from those found in red foxes at either
location and from those in coyotes at the location with lower
disturbances. The gut microbiomes of coyotes subjected to greater human
impact revealed clear evidence of dysbiosis, indicative of increased
physiological stress and reduced health. We discuss our observations in
the context of understanding anthropogenic impacts on coyote and red fox
interactions. Our results suggest that physiological stress in the form
of human disturbance may play an important role in the composition of
the gut microbiome of coyotes, which can affect their overall health.