Sampling date and position are shown in Table 1. Complete E. superbasamples with fullstomach were usua1ly used. They were averagely 45 mm long and 1.5 g weight (wet). Beingconcentrated with filtered sea water, every f...Sampling date and position are shown in Table 1. Complete E. superbasamples with fullstomach were usua1ly used. They were averagely 45 mm long and 1.5 g weight (wet). Beingconcentrated with filtered sea water, every food species from krill stomach was observed andidentified under an optical microscope, and their size was measured. Food species in stomachcontent of E. superbawere divided into five classes, according to the presence of species indi-展开更多
Knowledge of what pest species are eating is important to determine their impact on stored food products and to plan management strategies accordingly.In this study,we investigated the food habits of 2 rodents,Rattus ...Knowledge of what pest species are eating is important to determine their impact on stored food products and to plan management strategies accordingly.In this study,we investigated the food habits of 2 rodents,Rattus rattus(ship rat)and Mus musculus castaneus(house mouse)as well as an insectivore,Suncus murinus(shrew),present in human dwellings.Both a microhistological approach and a DNA barcoding approach were used in the present study.Following DNA extraction,amplification was performed using group-specific primers targeting birds,plants and invertebrates.Resulting polymerase chain reaction products were sequenced and analyzed to identify the different prey species present in the gut contents.The findings from the application of both techniques were in agreement,but the detection of prey type with each technique was different.The DNA barcoding approach gave greater species-level identification when compared to the microhistological method,especially for the invertebrate and avian prey.Overall,with both techniques,23 prey taxa were identified in the gut contents of the 3 species,including 15 plants,7 insects and a single bird species.We conclude that with a selection of suitable“barcode genes”and optimization of polymerase chain reaction protocols,DNA barcoding can provide more accurate and faster results.Prey detection from either technique alone can bias the dietary information.Hence,combining prey information of both microhistological analysis and DNA barcoding is recommended to study pest diet,especially if the pest is an omnivore or insectivore species.展开更多
Background:Diet analysis is essential to understanding the functional role of large bird species in food webs.Mor-phological analysis of regurgitated bird pellet contents is time intensive and may underestimate biodiv...Background:Diet analysis is essential to understanding the functional role of large bird species in food webs.Mor-phological analysis of regurgitated bird pellet contents is time intensive and may underestimate biodiversity.DNA metabarcoding has the ability to circumvent these issues,but has yet to be done.Methods:We present a pilot study using DNA metabarcoding of MT-RNR1 and MT-CO1 markers to determine the species of origin and prey of 45 pellets collected in Qinghai and Gansu Provinces,China.Results:We detected four raptor species[Eurasian Eagle Owl(Bubo bubo),Saker Falcon(Falco cherrug),Steppe Eagle(Aquila nipalensis),and Upland Buzzard(Buteo hemilasius)]and 11 unique prey species across 10 families and 4 classes.Mammals were the greatest detected prey class with Plateau Pika(Ochotona curzoniae)being the most frequent.Observed Shannon’s and Simpson’s diversity for Upland Buzzard were 1.089 and 0.479,respectively,while expected values were 1.312±0.266 and 0.485±0.086.For Eurasian Eagle Owl,observed values were 1.202 and 0.565,while expected values were 1.502±0.340 and 0.580±0.114.Interspecific dietary niche partitioning between the two spe-cies was not detected.Conclusions:Our results demonstrate successful use of DNA metabarcoding for understanding diet via a novel noninvasive sample type to identify common and uncommon species.More work is needed to understand how raptor diets vary locally,and the mechanisms that enable exploitation of similar dietary resources.This approach has wide ranging applicability to other birds of prey,and demonstrates the power of using DNA metabarcoding to study species noninvasively.展开更多
Understanding the diet of threatened wildlife is vital for species-specific conservation and habitat management measures.The Red-crowned Crane(Grus japonensis)is a vulnerable bird distributed in Northeast Asia.Previou...Understanding the diet of threatened wildlife is vital for species-specific conservation and habitat management measures.The Red-crowned Crane(Grus japonensis)is a vulnerable bird distributed in Northeast Asia.Previous dietary studies of this bird focused mainly on its plant food composition based on field observations and microhistological identification.Herein,a total of 45 fecal samples were collected in November,December and January(15 fecal samples each month)from wintering cranes,and then subjected to a high throughput sequencing meta-barcoding approach to determine the primary plant(rbcL)and animal(COI)food items in their diet.A total of 230 operational taxonomic units(OTUs)of plant foods and 371 OTUs of animal foods were obtained.The main plant foods in the wintering period were Miscanthus,Zea,and Hordeum genera,which were similar to those in the breeding and the migration periods.Both agricultural and natural plants were detected,indicating a relatively broad dietary niche for this crane species.However,the main animal foods were representatives of Theridiidae,Megascolecidae,and Agelenidae,in sharp contrast to previous studies.The higher number of small terrestrial arthropods in animal foods might be due to the indirect intake of plants.The composition of both plant and animal foods in the diet showed the highest diversity in December,while it was homogeneous in January.The plant of Zea genus became the main source of nutrition in late winter,as supplementary feeding was performed in the reserve,which could help Red-crowned Cranes to get through the cold season.The results obtained in this work would contribute to the development of effective conservation strategies for the Red-crowned Crane.展开更多
Aims： To identify dietary practices together with anthropometric variables of a group of professional suffers. Subjects： Participants of a National Surf Championship in Brazil. Evaluations： （1） Anthropometric mea...Aims： To identify dietary practices together with anthropometric variables of a group of professional suffers. Subjects： Participants of a National Surf Championship in Brazil. Evaluations： （1） Anthropometric measures, indexes and calculations （body mass, height, arm span, body circumferences and nine skinfold thicknesses, arm spam/height ratio, waist-to-hip-ratio, conicity index and % body fat）; （2） One 24h food-recall, describing all the food and drinks consumed at the previous day, and analyzed for energy, macro-nutrients, some micro-nutrients and food groups. The values were compared with some references and position statements and with the Brazilian Food Guide; （3） The basal and daily energy expenditure was estimated from specific equations; the energy intake was estimated from the information on diet and the energy balance was estimated from the difference between these values. Main results： The intake of carbohydrate is below the position statements （2.5-9.7g/kg and 6-10g/kg body weight, respectively）. Possibly the intake of supplements such as maltodextrin fulfilled the requirements （30.3% of the athletes referred the intake of this supplement）; The intake of BCAA （Branched-Chain Amino Acids） showed to be high （24.2% of the athletes）; The low intake of vegetables possibly contributes to the low intake of micronutrients （0.0-6.0 servings, against the recommendation of 4-5 servings）; The high intake of fried food （added lipid = 0.0-5.9 servings, against the recommendation of 1.0-2.0 servings） overlapped healthy habits such as beans and nuts consumption （0.0-13.6 servings against the recommendation of 1.0 serving）; The percentage of body fat seems to be similar to swimmers （around 12% of body weight）. As a conclusion, the dietary practices of suffers in the day prior a competition need to be improved, especially with respect to carbohydrates and lipids. The balance between energy intake and energy expenditure needs to be investigated more deeply. Studies investigating the role of certain amino acids supplement, such as BCAA, in surf practice could allow a better interpretation of this practice.展开更多
Striped hyena（Hyaena hyaena） is a near-threatened large carnivore known to occur in arid and semi-arid landscapes in many parts of the world. Its population is declining globally and ecological information is requir...Striped hyena（Hyaena hyaena） is a near-threatened large carnivore known to occur in arid and semi-arid landscapes in many parts of the world. Its population is declining globally and ecological information is required urgently to meet their conservation needs. We studied the diet pattern of the striped hyena in the semi-arid Gir National Park and Sanctuary（GNPS）, western India. Prey items eaten by the striped hyena were identified from scats. Around 44.4% scats represented single to three mammalian preys while 55.6% of them represented four preys to seven preys. A variety of food items were identified including mammals, birds, insects and vegetable matters. Scats analysis showed that 63.91% diet of striped hyena was contributed by wild prey items, 20.94% by domestic prey and 3.31% by birds, whereas vegetable and insects contributed 9.92% and 1.93%, respectively. Diet diversity of the striped hyena computed by the Shannon-Weiner Index（H） was found to be 2.64. The presence of domestic mammals in the scat remains implied that the striped hyena might frequently visit human habitation in search for food and hence, a potential conflict between human and wildlife might arise. Reducing the dependence of hyena on domestic livestock is a challenge to ensure the survival of striped hyena outside the protected area.展开更多
Knowing the diet of endangered wild animals is a prerequisite for species-specific conservation and habitat management.The Sichuan partridge Arborophila rufipectus is a globally endangered Galliformes species endemic ...Knowing the diet of endangered wild animals is a prerequisite for species-specific conservation and habitat management.The Sichuan partridge Arborophila rufipectus is a globally endangered Galliformes species endemic to the mountains of southwest China.Existing information on the diet of this species is biased and fragmented owing to traditional observation methods.Little is known about their dietary composition or how they respond to temporal variations in food resources throughout the year.In this study,a dietary analysis was performed on 6o fecal samples using DNA Metabarcoding of invertebrates and plants to determine the primary animal and plant components of the diet across 3 critical periods of adult life history(breeding,postbreeding wandering,and overwintering).Preys from the dipteran order,followed by the lepidopteran and ara-neaen spp.,were the predominant,animal-derived foods.Symplocos,Rubus,Celastrus,Holboellia,and Actinidia spp.supply a large abundance of fruits and seeds for this omnivorous bird.Substantial temporal dietary changes among the 3 periods and a general shift toward lower dietary diversity during the breeding season were observed,suggesting that the Sichuan partridge can adjust their diet according to the availability of food resources and their own needs.Characterizing the composition and seasonal changes in Sichuan partridge diets informs the habitat management of native flora(the plant taxa that can generate berries and seeds,such as Symplocos,Rubus,Celastrus,and Holboellia,which are likely of conservation interest)to achieve full life-cycle conservation.展开更多
To understand trophic interactions and the precise ecological role of each predatory species,it is important to know which arthropod and plant resources are used by generalist predators in agroecosystems.Molecular app...To understand trophic interactions and the precise ecological role of each predatory species,it is important to know which arthropod and plant resources are used by generalist predators in agroecosystems.Molecular approaches,such as the use of high-throughput sequencing(HTS),play a key role in identifying these resources.This study develops a multiprimer metabarcoding approach for screening the most common trophic interactions of two predatory arthropods with contrasting morphologies,Rhagonycha fulva(Coleoptera:Cantharidae)and Anthocoris nemoralis(Hemiptera:Anthocoridae)collected from a peach crop.To reduce the time and cost of this metabarcoding approach,we first evaluated the effect of using two different predator-pools of different size(10 and 23 individuals of the same species).We also used our system to analyze the performance of one and two primer pairs in the same library.Our results show that the analysis of 23 individuals together with the use of two primer pairs in the same library optimize the HTS analysis.Using these best-performing conditions,we then analyzed the entire bodies of field-collected predators as well as the washing solutions used to clean the insect bodies.We were able to identify both gut content(i.e.,diet)and external pollen load(i.e.,on the insects’bodies).This study also demonstrates the importance of washing predatory insects’bodies prior to HTS analysis when the target species have a considerable size(>10 mm)and hairy structures.This metabarcoding approach has significant potential for the study of trophic links in agriculture,revealing expected and unexpected trophic relationships.展开更多
文摘Sampling date and position are shown in Table 1. Complete E. superbasamples with fullstomach were usua1ly used. They were averagely 45 mm long and 1.5 g weight (wet). Beingconcentrated with filtered sea water, every food species from krill stomach was observed andidentified under an optical microscope, and their size was measured. Food species in stomachcontent of E. superbawere divided into five classes, according to the presence of species indi-
文摘Knowledge of what pest species are eating is important to determine their impact on stored food products and to plan management strategies accordingly.In this study,we investigated the food habits of 2 rodents,Rattus rattus(ship rat)and Mus musculus castaneus(house mouse)as well as an insectivore,Suncus murinus(shrew),present in human dwellings.Both a microhistological approach and a DNA barcoding approach were used in the present study.Following DNA extraction,amplification was performed using group-specific primers targeting birds,plants and invertebrates.Resulting polymerase chain reaction products were sequenced and analyzed to identify the different prey species present in the gut contents.The findings from the application of both techniques were in agreement,but the detection of prey type with each technique was different.The DNA barcoding approach gave greater species-level identification when compared to the microhistological method,especially for the invertebrate and avian prey.Overall,with both techniques,23 prey taxa were identified in the gut contents of the 3 species,including 15 plants,7 insects and a single bird species.We conclude that with a selection of suitable“barcode genes”and optimization of polymerase chain reaction protocols,DNA barcoding can provide more accurate and faster results.Prey detection from either technique alone can bias the dietary information.Hence,combining prey information of both microhistological analysis and DNA barcoding is recommended to study pest diet,especially if the pest is an omnivore or insectivore species.
基金funded by the National Key Technology R&D Program of China(2019YFA0607103)Snow Leopard Conservancy(G1900014,G2000019)+2 种基金Cleveland Metroparks Zoo(G1800082)Panthera Corporation and The Andrew Sabin Family Foundation(G1900011,G2000017)Welfare Project of the National Scientific Research Institution(CAFYBB2019ZE003).
文摘Background:Diet analysis is essential to understanding the functional role of large bird species in food webs.Mor-phological analysis of regurgitated bird pellet contents is time intensive and may underestimate biodiversity.DNA metabarcoding has the ability to circumvent these issues,but has yet to be done.Methods:We present a pilot study using DNA metabarcoding of MT-RNR1 and MT-CO1 markers to determine the species of origin and prey of 45 pellets collected in Qinghai and Gansu Provinces,China.Results:We detected four raptor species[Eurasian Eagle Owl(Bubo bubo),Saker Falcon(Falco cherrug),Steppe Eagle(Aquila nipalensis),and Upland Buzzard(Buteo hemilasius)]and 11 unique prey species across 10 families and 4 classes.Mammals were the greatest detected prey class with Plateau Pika(Ochotona curzoniae)being the most frequent.Observed Shannon’s and Simpson’s diversity for Upland Buzzard were 1.089 and 0.479,respectively,while expected values were 1.312±0.266 and 0.485±0.086.For Eurasian Eagle Owl,observed values were 1.202 and 0.565,while expected values were 1.502±0.340 and 0.580±0.114.Interspecific dietary niche partitioning between the two spe-cies was not detected.Conclusions:Our results demonstrate successful use of DNA metabarcoding for understanding diet via a novel noninvasive sample type to identify common and uncommon species.More work is needed to understand how raptor diets vary locally,and the mechanisms that enable exploitation of similar dietary resources.This approach has wide ranging applicability to other birds of prey,and demonstrates the power of using DNA metabarcoding to study species noninvasively.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31800453)the Biodiversity Investigation,Observation and Assessment Program(2019-2023)+1 种基金the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China(2110404)the Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province(No.2022YFS0487).
文摘Understanding the diet of threatened wildlife is vital for species-specific conservation and habitat management measures.The Red-crowned Crane(Grus japonensis)is a vulnerable bird distributed in Northeast Asia.Previous dietary studies of this bird focused mainly on its plant food composition based on field observations and microhistological identification.Herein,a total of 45 fecal samples were collected in November,December and January(15 fecal samples each month)from wintering cranes,and then subjected to a high throughput sequencing meta-barcoding approach to determine the primary plant(rbcL)and animal(COI)food items in their diet.A total of 230 operational taxonomic units(OTUs)of plant foods and 371 OTUs of animal foods were obtained.The main plant foods in the wintering period were Miscanthus,Zea,and Hordeum genera,which were similar to those in the breeding and the migration periods.Both agricultural and natural plants were detected,indicating a relatively broad dietary niche for this crane species.However,the main animal foods were representatives of Theridiidae,Megascolecidae,and Agelenidae,in sharp contrast to previous studies.The higher number of small terrestrial arthropods in animal foods might be due to the indirect intake of plants.The composition of both plant and animal foods in the diet showed the highest diversity in December,while it was homogeneous in January.The plant of Zea genus became the main source of nutrition in late winter,as supplementary feeding was performed in the reserve,which could help Red-crowned Cranes to get through the cold season.The results obtained in this work would contribute to the development of effective conservation strategies for the Red-crowned Crane.
文摘Aims： To identify dietary practices together with anthropometric variables of a group of professional suffers. Subjects： Participants of a National Surf Championship in Brazil. Evaluations： （1） Anthropometric measures, indexes and calculations （body mass, height, arm span, body circumferences and nine skinfold thicknesses, arm spam/height ratio, waist-to-hip-ratio, conicity index and % body fat）; （2） One 24h food-recall, describing all the food and drinks consumed at the previous day, and analyzed for energy, macro-nutrients, some micro-nutrients and food groups. The values were compared with some references and position statements and with the Brazilian Food Guide; （3） The basal and daily energy expenditure was estimated from specific equations; the energy intake was estimated from the information on diet and the energy balance was estimated from the difference between these values. Main results： The intake of carbohydrate is below the position statements （2.5-9.7g/kg and 6-10g/kg body weight, respectively）. Possibly the intake of supplements such as maltodextrin fulfilled the requirements （30.3% of the athletes referred the intake of this supplement）; The intake of BCAA （Branched-Chain Amino Acids） showed to be high （24.2% of the athletes）; The low intake of vegetables possibly contributes to the low intake of micronutrients （0.0-6.0 servings, against the recommendation of 4-5 servings）; The high intake of fried food （added lipid = 0.0-5.9 servings, against the recommendation of 1.0-2.0 servings） overlapped healthy habits such as beans and nuts consumption （0.0-13.6 servings against the recommendation of 1.0 serving）; The percentage of body fat seems to be similar to swimmers （around 12% of body weight）. As a conclusion, the dietary practices of suffers in the day prior a competition need to be improved, especially with respect to carbohydrates and lipids. The balance between energy intake and energy expenditure needs to be investigated more deeply. Studies investigating the role of certain amino acids supplement, such as BCAA, in surf practice could allow a better interpretation of this practice.
基金Financial support has been provided by the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India
文摘Striped hyena（Hyaena hyaena） is a near-threatened large carnivore known to occur in arid and semi-arid landscapes in many parts of the world. Its population is declining globally and ecological information is required urgently to meet their conservation needs. We studied the diet pattern of the striped hyena in the semi-arid Gir National Park and Sanctuary（GNPS）, western India. Prey items eaten by the striped hyena were identified from scats. Around 44.4% scats represented single to three mammalian preys while 55.6% of them represented four preys to seven preys. A variety of food items were identified including mammals, birds, insects and vegetable matters. Scats analysis showed that 63.91% diet of striped hyena was contributed by wild prey items, 20.94% by domestic prey and 3.31% by birds, whereas vegetable and insects contributed 9.92% and 1.93%, respectively. Diet diversity of the striped hyena computed by the Shannon-Weiner Index（H） was found to be 2.64. The presence of domestic mammals in the scat remains implied that the striped hyena might frequently visit human habitation in search for food and hence, a potential conflict between human and wildlife might arise. Reducing the dependence of hyena on domestic livestock is a challenge to ensure the survival of striped hyena outside the protected area.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32270517,31872961)a grant(2019HB2096001006)the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China,and the Starting Research Fund of Sichuan Normal University(024341965,XJKY1026).
文摘Knowing the diet of endangered wild animals is a prerequisite for species-specific conservation and habitat management.The Sichuan partridge Arborophila rufipectus is a globally endangered Galliformes species endemic to the mountains of southwest China.Existing information on the diet of this species is biased and fragmented owing to traditional observation methods.Little is known about their dietary composition or how they respond to temporal variations in food resources throughout the year.In this study,a dietary analysis was performed on 6o fecal samples using DNA Metabarcoding of invertebrates and plants to determine the primary animal and plant components of the diet across 3 critical periods of adult life history(breeding,postbreeding wandering,and overwintering).Preys from the dipteran order,followed by the lepidopteran and ara-neaen spp.,were the predominant,animal-derived foods.Symplocos,Rubus,Celastrus,Holboellia,and Actinidia spp.supply a large abundance of fruits and seeds for this omnivorous bird.Substantial temporal dietary changes among the 3 periods and a general shift toward lower dietary diversity during the breeding season were observed,suggesting that the Sichuan partridge can adjust their diet according to the availability of food resources and their own needs.Characterizing the composition and seasonal changes in Sichuan partridge diets informs the habitat management of native flora(the plant taxa that can generate berries and seeds,such as Symplocos,Rubus,Celastrus,and Holboellia,which are likely of conservation interest)to achieve full life-cycle conservation.
基金The authors would like to thank Angels Tudo for technical assistance during the field collection of the.samples and laboratory procedures.We would like also to acknowledge the owners of the analyzed crop plot for allowing us access to their fields.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy,Industry and Competitiveness(grant AGL2014-53970-C2-2-R)by the CERCA Program(Centres de Recerca de C atalunya)of the Generalitat de Catalunya.Ivan Batuecas received.funding from the grant BES-2015-075700 from the Span-ish Mimistry of Science,Innovation and Universities.
文摘To understand trophic interactions and the precise ecological role of each predatory species,it is important to know which arthropod and plant resources are used by generalist predators in agroecosystems.Molecular approaches,such as the use of high-throughput sequencing(HTS),play a key role in identifying these resources.This study develops a multiprimer metabarcoding approach for screening the most common trophic interactions of two predatory arthropods with contrasting morphologies,Rhagonycha fulva(Coleoptera:Cantharidae)and Anthocoris nemoralis(Hemiptera:Anthocoridae)collected from a peach crop.To reduce the time and cost of this metabarcoding approach,we first evaluated the effect of using two different predator-pools of different size(10 and 23 individuals of the same species).We also used our system to analyze the performance of one and two primer pairs in the same library.Our results show that the analysis of 23 individuals together with the use of two primer pairs in the same library optimize the HTS analysis.Using these best-performing conditions,we then analyzed the entire bodies of field-collected predators as well as the washing solutions used to clean the insect bodies.We were able to identify both gut content(i.e.,diet)and external pollen load(i.e.,on the insects’bodies).This study also demonstrates the importance of washing predatory insects’bodies prior to HTS analysis when the target species have a considerable size(>10 mm)and hairy structures.This metabarcoding approach has significant potential for the study of trophic links in agriculture,revealing expected and unexpected trophic relationships.
