CHIMPANZEES could hold the secret to understanding our gut health.
A new University of Western Australia study will examine how gut microbiomes and habitat degradation are related in our closest genetic relatives.
Microbiomes in the gut play an important role in digestion and aid the production of Vitamins B and K. Gut bacteria can also influence the risk of diseases such as obesity, Crohn's disease, asthma and even autism.
PhD student Natasha Coutts, who will travel to Rwanda to carry out the research, said understanding chimpanzees' gut health could have implications for how we understand it in humans.
"Humans and chimpanzees are so closely related that it's highly likely the results from this research will be applicable to questions surrounding the human gut microbiome as well," Ms Coutts said.
"Chimpanzees are a really good model to understand processes throughout evolutionary history that don't necessarily fossilise."
Ms Coutts and her team will collect faecal samples, behavioural and ecological data from members of each chimpanzee community over 18 months and then compare them to determine their gut microbiome composition.
"The gut microbiome is largely dictated by the diet and the social interactions of the host," she said.
"Habitat fragmentation can therefore impact the quality of the diet and the way in which animals interact, particularly if they are animals that live in social groups.
"Given the positive relationship between gut microbial diversity and overall health, this research may provide further support for conservation strategies that aim to reduce fragmentation of chimpanzee habitats in an effort to maintain healthy and viable populations of this endangered, iconic primate."
