AP Success - AP Biology Conceptual Analysis: Systems Interact - Digestion

A group of researchers conducted an experiment on 20 adults who drastically changed their diets. Ten of them switched from a high-fat, low-fiber diet to a low-fat, high-fiber diet, while the other ten made the opposite switch. The researchers collected stool samples from the participants before and after the diet change to analyze the composition of their gut microbiomes.

Describe how the gut microbiome interacts with the digestive system.

The researchers observed a significant change in the composition of the gut microbiomes of the participants after the diet change. Explain how a change in diet could lead to such a change in the gut microbiome.

Predict the potential effects on the digestive system if a person who has been on a high-fiber diet for a long time suddenly switches to a low-fiber diet.

The researchers claim that the gut microbiome plays a crucial role in determining the health effects of a diet. Justify this claim using the concept of digestion and the data from the experiment.