The insectivorous Northern Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia purpurea, recruits a dynamic biotic community in the rainwater collected by its pitcher-shaped leaves. Insect capture and degradation within the pitcher fluid (phytotelma) has been well documented as a mechanism for supplementing the plant's nitrogen, phosphorous, and micronutrient requirements. Metagenomic studies have shown a diverse microbiome in this phytotelm environment, including taxa that contribute metabolically to prey digestion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Beef cattle experience several management challenges across their lifecycle. Castration and weaning, two major interventions in the early life of beef cattle, can have a substantial impact on animal performance. Despite the key role of the rumen microbiome on productive traits of beef cattle, the effect of castration timing and weaning strategy on this microbial community has not been formally described.
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