Table 2. Main (A) and pairwise test results (B) of non-parametric permutation-based multivariate statistical analysis of unweighted UniFrac beta diversity of the intestinal microbiota of channel catfish across age (days post hatch; DPH).
All statistical tests were conducted using a fixed factor of fish age, across four groups: 3DPH, 65DPH, 125DPH, and 193DPH. Test statistics were calculated using up to 9,999 permutations, yet data structure dictated the number of possible permutations.
| A | ||||
| Main Test Across Fish Ages | ||||
| Statistical Test | Test Statistic | P-value | Possible Permutations | |
| PERMDISP | 0.8411 | 0.6501 | 9999 | |
| PERMANOVA | 2.1266 | *0.0004 | 9890 | |
| ANOSIM (ordered) | 0.3090 | *0.0002 | 9999 | |
| B | ||||
| Pairwise Tests Between Fish Ages | ||||
| Statistical test | Groups Compared | Test Statistic | P-value | Possible Permutations |
| PERMANOVA | 3DPH and 65DPH | 1.569 | *0.0169 | 792 |
| 65DPH and 125DPH | 1.819 | *0.0037 | 330 | |
| 125DPH and 193DPH | 1.339 | 0.0705 | 210 | |
| 3DPH and 125DPH | 1.515 | *0.0071 | 126 | |
| 3DPH and 193DPH | 1.298 | 0.0741 | 460 | |
| 65DPH and 193DPH | 1.242 | 0.1130 | 1709 | |
| ANOSIM | 3DPH and 65DPH | 0.386 | *0.009 | 792 |
| 65DPH and 125DPH | 0.680 | *0.003 | 330 | |
| 125DPH and 193DPH | 0.190 | 0.138 | 210 | |
| 3DPH and 125DPH | 0.400 | *0.004 | 126 | |
| 3DPH and 193DPH | 0.136 | 0.154 | 460 | |
| 65DPH and 193DPH | 0.135 | 0.107 | 1709 | |
*—Indicates a rejection of the null hypothesis of no differences among groups (P ≤ 0.05)