Fecal metabolic profiling and its correlation with the gut microbiota
Metabolite clusters were obtained by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Pearson correlation analysis of significantly different metabolites and significantly different OTUs (microbes) was performed to determine the relationships between metabolites and microbes (Figure 11). The results showed that Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Lentisphaerae, Elusimicrobia, Tenericutes, and other phyla had the closest relationship with the metabolites, and the dominant microorganisms showed different positive or negative correlations with different metabolite clusters. This confirms the results of the LEfSe analysis; that is, bacterial phyla with significant seasonal differences correspond to some differential metabolites, suggesting that they are closely related and may be the key factors affecting gut microbes.