Urbanization impacts on wildlife and ecosystem health: Investigating soil and deer mouse microbiomes
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Authors
LePage, June
Date of Issue
2025-04-25
Type
Presentation
Language
en_US
Subject Keywords
Other Titles
Abstract
Researching the factors of species decline and loss has never been more important; humans have altered 60% of existing ecosystems and are lagging in habitat restoration efforts. Urbanization is one of the most drastic forms of alteration and strongly impacts biodiversity, but the specific mechanisms of species decline are not fully understood. Microbiome diversity is one of several multidimensional factors impacting ecosystems and serves as a key indicator of both wildlife and environmental health. Here, we study microbiome diversity of the Western deer mouse, Peromyscus sonoriensis, in relation to soil microbial diversity among rural and urban habitats in Spokane, Washington. Mice were live-trapped over a two-week period in early summer of 2023 and 2024. Fecal and soil samples were collected, along with hair, blood, body condition metrics, and environmental data. DNA extracted from fecal pellets and soil samples was processed and sequenced to analyze bacterial community composition. It was predicted that urbanization would decrease microbial community diversity with potential adverse health effects on the surrounding wildlife. Analyzing the other measures of wildlife health collected, such as stress hormone concentrations and immune cell counts, contributes to an understanding of the network of factors impacting wildlife health and ecosystem decline. The presented results establish a baseline dataset for impacts of habitat alteration on deer mouse health and can be used in future studies to assess temporal variation and gain further insight into the effects of urbanization.