Manipulating a host-native microbial strain compensates for low microbial diversity by increasing weight gain in a wild bird population.

Empirical studies from laboratory systems and humans show that the gut microbiota is linked to host health. Similar evidence for effects on traits linked to fitness in nature is rare, not least because experimentally manipulating the gut microbiota is challenging. We isolated, characterized, and cultured a bacterial strain, APC4233, directly from a wild bird (the great tit ) and provided it as a self-administered dietary supplement.

Use of Lactic Acid Bacteria to Reduce Methane Production in Ruminants, a Critical Review.

Enteric fermentation in ruminants is the single largest anthropogenic source of agricultural methane and has a significant role in global warming. Consequently, innovative solutions to reduce methane emissions from livestock farming are required to ensure future sustainable food production. One possible approach is the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Gram positive bacteria that produce lactic acid as a major end product of carbohydrate fermentation.