• Particular focus on development of the chicken gut microbiome over the lifetime of the bird
• Reviews interactions between pathogens and the gut and the role of antibiotics in this process
• Comprehensive review of research on efficacy of poultry feed additives: probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, antimicrobials, essential oils and other botanicals, cereal grains

Part 1 Understanding the gastrointestinal tract
1.Commercial poultry production and gut function: a historical perspective: Dana Dittoe and Steven C. Ricke, University of Arkansas, USA; and Aaron Kiess, Mississippi State University, USA;
2.Advances in sequence technologies for generating poultry gut microbiome data: Xiaofan Wang and Jiangchao Zhao, University of Arkansas, USA;
3.Omics technologies for connecting host responses with poultry gut function: Jana Seifert and Bruno Tilocca, University of Hohenheim, Germany;
4.Understanding gut microbiota in poultry: Robert Moore, RMIT University, Australia;
5.In ovo development of the chicken gut microbiome and its impact on later gut function: E. David Peebles, Mississippi State University, USA;
6.Understanding gut function in poultry: immunometabolism at the gut level: Ryan J. Arsenault, University of Delaware, USA;
7.Understanding gut function in poultry: the role of commensals, metabolites, inflammation, and dysbiosis in intestinal immune function and dysfunction: Michael H. Kogut, USDA-ARS, USA;

Part 2 Factors that impact the gastrointestinal tract and different types of birds
8.Genetics and other factors affecting intestinal microbiota and function in poultry: Michael D. Cressman, The Ohio State University, USA; Jannigje G. Kers, Utrecht University, The Netherlands; and Lingling Wang and Zhongtang Yu, The Ohio State University, USA;
9.Antibiotics and gut function: historical and current perspectives: Jeferson M. Lourenço, Darren S. Seidel and Todd R. Callaway, University of Georgia, USA;
10.Gastrointestinal diseases of poultry: causes and nutritional strategies for prevention and control: Raveendra R. Kulkarni, North Carolina State University, USA; Khaled Taha-Abdelaziz, University of Guelph, Canada and Beni-Suef University, Egypt; and Bahram Shojadoost, Jake Astill and Shayan Sharif, University of Guelph, Canada;
11.The interaction between gut microbiota and pathogens in poultry: Ruediger Hauck, Auburn University, USA; and Lisa Bielke and Zhongtang Yu, The Ohio State University, USA;
12.Microbial ecology and function of the gastrointestinal tract in layer hens: Steven C. Ricke, University of Arkansas, USA;

Part 3 Feed additives and gut health modulation
13.Controlling pathogens in the poultry gut: Osman Yasir Koyun and Todd R. Callaway, University of Georgia, USA;
14.The role of probiotics in optimizing gut function in poultry: Guillermo Tellez and Juan D. Latorre University of Arkansas, USA; Margarita A. Arreguin-Nava, Eco-Bio LLC, USA; and Billy M. Hargis, University of Arkansas, USA;
15.Role of prebiotics in poultry gastrointestinal tract health, function, and microbiome composition: Steven C. Ricke, University of Arkansas, USA;
16.The role of synbiotics in optimizing gut function in poultry: Guillermo Tellez and Juan D. Latorre, University of Arkansas, USA; Margarita A. Arreguin-Nava, Eco-Bio LLC, USA; and Billy M. Hargis, University of Arkansas, USA;
17.Short chain organic acids: microbial ecology and antimicrobial activity in the poultry gastrointestinal tract: Steven C. Ricke, University of Arkansas, USA;
18.The role of essential oils and other botanicals in optimizing gut function in poultry: Divek V. T. Nair, Grace Dewi and Anup Kollanoor-Johny, University of Minnesota, USA;
19.The role of specific cereal grain dietary components in poultry gut function: Paul Iji, Figi National University, Figi Islands and University of New England, Australia; Apeh Omede, University of New England, Australia and Kogi State University, Nigeria; Medani Abdallah, University of New England, Australia and University of Khartoum, Sudan; and Emmanuel U. Ahiwe, University of New England, Australia and Federal University of Technology – Owerri, Nigeria;