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The issue of poor sexual performance of some male giant pandas seriously impairs the growth and the genetic diversity of the captive population, yet there is still no clear understanding of the cause of the loss of this ability and its underlying mechanism. In this study, we analyzed the gut microbiota and its function in 72 fecal samples obtained from 20 captive male giant pandas, with an equal allocation between individuals capable and incapable of natural mating. Additionally, we investigated fecal hormone levels and behavioral differences between the two groups. A correlation analysis was then conducted among these factors to explore the influencing factors of their natural mating ability. The results showed significant differences in the composition of gut microbiota between the two groups of male pandas. The capable group had significantly higher abundance of Clostridium sensu stricto 1 (padjusted =.0021, GLMM), which was positively correlated with fatty acid degradation and two‐component system functions (Spearman, padjusted <.05). Additionally, the capable group showed higher gene abundance in gut microbiota function including purine and pyrimidine metabolism and galactose metabolism, as well as pathways related to biological processes such as ribosome and homologous recombination (DEseq2, padjusted <.05). We found no significant differences in fecal cortisol and testosterone levels between the two groups, and no difference was found in their behavior either. Our study provides a theoretical and practical basis for further studying the behavioral degradation mechanisms of giant pandas and other endangered mammal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responses of diverse gut microbiota affect the host's nutrient metabolism and disease immunity. However, giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) have a low diversity of gut microbiota, and the reasons for this low diversity and its impact are poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of diet on the diversity of gut microbiota in giant pandas. To analyze the functional genes of the gut microbiota, we employed PICRUSt (phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states), a computational method for predicting the functional composition of genomes. A multispecies comparison was conducted, involving 66 individuals from 34 species including giant panda. Our comparative analysis revealed that a high-fiber diet significantly reduced the diversity of gut microbiota in giant pandas. Furthermore, we observed that the metabolic function of giant pandas, particularly in terms of energy families and amino acid metabolism, was significantly lower than in other species. During the high-fiber diet, the gut microbiota of giant pandas exhibited a greater abundance of genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and transport functions. These findings suggest that a high-fiber bamboo (Poaceae) diet is associated with lower diversity and altered metabolic function of gut microbiota in giant pandas. Therefore, the gut microbiota of giant pandas undergoes functional adaptive changes in response to the consumption of a high-fiber bamboo diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]