我们先前的研究发现：尽管以竹子作为主要饮食，圈养大熊猫依然保留着一套典型的肉食动物肠道菌群，纤维素和半纤维消化效率显著低于草食动物。这可能会对目前开展的圈养大熊猫野外放归计划带来不利的影响。我们针对野外和圈养大熊猫的研究进一步揭示野外和圈养大熊猫肠道菌群群落结构和功能显著不同，野外大熊猫肠道优势菌群为具有木质纤维素降解潜能的Pseudomonas属，而圈养大熊猫优势菌群（Streptococcus、Escherichia/Shigella）不具有降解木质纤维素的功能，野外大熊猫肠道菌群多样性、纤维素及半纤维素降解基因丰度显著高于圈养大熊猫。在此基础上，本项目拟通过移植野外大熊猫粪便菌群来改善圈养大熊猫肠道菌群结构和功能，从而帮助圈养大熊猫在放归野外后能适应野外的环境和饮食。本研究成果有望为大熊猫和其他濒危动物的保护工作开辟一种新的思路。

In previous studies, we have reported that despite living on a bamboo-dominated diet, the captive giant panda harbors a carnivore-like gut microbiota, and the digestion efficiency of cellulose and hemicelluloses was significantly lower than herbivores. This may have unintended negative consequences on the work of re-introduction of captive giant pandas into the wild. In the study of gut microbiota of wild and captive giant pandas, we have found that the gut community structure and function was significantly different in the wild and captive giant pandas, Pseudomonas which has the potential to degrade lignocellulose was the most abundant genus detected in wild giant pandas, and Streptococcus and Escherichia/Shigella, without the ability to degrade lignocellulose, were the most abundant genera in captive giant pandas. Fecal microbiome diversity of captive giant pandas was significantly lower than those of the wild giant pandas. Additionally, captive giant pandas also had reduced functional potential for cellulose and hemicelluloses degradation. On this basis, we plan to improve the gut bacteria community structure and function of captive giant pandas by fecal microbiota transplant. The result is expected to open up a new way of thinking for the conservation of giant pandas and other endangered animals.