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255 results for “Diet Analysis”
Data from: Integrating complementary methods to improve diet analysis in fishery-targeted species
Developing efficient, reliable, cost-effective ways to identify diet is required to understand trophic ecology in complex ecosystems and improve food web models. A combination of techniques, each varying in their ability to provide robust, spatially and temporally explicit information can be applied to clarify diet data for ecological research. This study applied an integrative analysis of a fishery-targeted species group - Plectropomus spp.in the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia by comparing three diet-identification approaches. Visual stomach content analysis provided poor identification with ~14% of stomachs sampled resulting in identification to family or lower. A molecular approach was successful with prey from ~80% of stomachs identified to genus or species, often with several unique prey in a stomach. Stable isotope mixing models utilising experimentally-derived assimilation data, identified similar prey as the molecular technique but at broader temporal scales, particularly when prior diet information was incorporated. Overall, Caesionidae and Pomacentridae were the most abundant prey families (>50% prey contribution) for all Plectropomus spp., highlighting the importance of planktivorous prey. Less abundant prey categories differed among species/colour phases indicating possible niche segregation. This study is one of the first to demonstrate the extent of taxonomic resolution provided by molecular techniques, and, like other studies, illustrates that temporal investigations of dietary patterns are more accessible in combination with stable isotopes. The consumption of mainly planktivorous prey within this species group has important implications within coral reef foodwebs and provides cautionary information regarding the effects that changing resources could have in reef ecosystems.
Data from: Comparison of diets for largemouth and smallmouth bass in Eastern Lake Ontario using DNA barcoding and stable isotope analysis
Largemouth (LMB: Micropterus salmoides) and Smallmouth Bass (SMB: Micropterus dolomieu) are important species in the recreational fisheries of the Laurentian Great Lakes. The invasion of the Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) into these lakes has changed several facets of black bass biology, but there is still much to learn about the relationship between these species. Previous dietary analyses have shown Round Goby to be important prey for bass, but have been limited by low visual identification rates of dissected stomach items. Within the present study, DNA barcoding and stable isotope analysis improve prey identification and provide a more quantitative dietary analysis of adult black bass in Lake Ontario, comparing the importance of Round Goby as prey between these two species. Eighty-four LMB (406mm fork length ±4mm SEM) and two hundred sixty-four SMB (422mm ±2mm) obtained as tournament mortalities had prey identified using DNA-based methods. Round Goby was the most prevalent prey species for both predators. The diet of LMB was three times more diverse than that of SMB, which almost entirely consists of Round Goby. Our results provide further support that recent increases in the size of Lake Ontario bass are a result of Round Goby consumption, and that the effects of this dietary shift on body condition are greater for SMB. Techniques developed in this study include: reverse-oriented dual priming oligonucleotides used as blocking primers for predator DNA, and an automated design approach of restriction fragment length polymorphism tests for identifying prey DNA barcodes.
Data from: DNA metabarcoding diet analysis for species with parapatric versus sympatric distribution: a case study on subterranean rodents
Closely related sympatric species commonly develop different ecological strategies to avoid competition. Ctenomys minutus and C. flamarioni are subterranean rodents parapatrically distributed in the southern Brazilian coastal plain, showing a narrow sympatric zone. To gain understanding on food preferences and possible competition for food resources, we evaluated their diet composition performing DNA metabarcoding analyzes of 67 C. minutus and 100 C. flamarioni scat samples, collected along the species geographical ranges. Thirteen plant families, mainly represented by Poaceae, Araliaceae, Asteraceae and Fabaceae, were identified in the diet of C. minutus. For C. flamarioni, 10 families were recovered, with a predominance of Poaceae, Araliaceae and Asteraceae. A significant correlation between diet composition and geographical distance was detected in C. minutus, whereas the diet of C. flamarioni was quite homogeneous throughout its geographical distribution. No significant differences were observed between males and females of each species. However, differences in diet composition between species were evident according to multivariate analysis. Our results suggest some level of diet partitioning between C. flamarioni and C. minutus in the sympatric region. While the first species is more specialized on few plant items, the second showed a more varied and heterogeneous diet pattern among individuals. These differences might have been developed to avoid competition in the region of co-occurrence. Resource availability in the environment also seems to influence food choices. Our data indicate that C. minutus and C. flamarioni are generalist species, but that some preference for Poaceae, Asteraceae and Araliaceae families can be suggested for both rodents.
Data from: Estimation of a killer whale (Orcinus orca) population's diet using sequencing analysis of DNA from feces
Estimating diet composition is important for understanding interactions between predators and prey and thus illuminating ecosystem function. The diet of many species, however, is difficult to observe directly. Genetic analysis of fecal material collected in the field is therefore a useful tool for gaining insight into wild animal diets. In this study, we used high-throughput DNA sequencing to quantitatively estimate the diet composition of an endangered population of wild killer whales (Orcinus orca) in their summer range in the Salish Sea. We combined 175 fecal samples collected between May and September from five years between 2006 and 2011 into 13 sample groups. Two known DNA composition control groups were also created. Each group was sequenced at a ~330bp segment of the 16s gene in the mitochondrial genome using an Illumina MiSeq sequencing system. After several quality controls steps, 4,987,107 individual sequences were aligned to a custom sequence database containing 19 potential fish prey species and the most likely species of each fecal-derived sequence was determined. Based on these alignments, salmonids made up >98.6% of the total sequences and thus of the inferred diet. Of the six salmonid species, Chinook salmon made up 79.5% of the sequences, followed by coho salmon (15%). Over all years, a clear pattern emerged with Chinook salmon dominating the estimated diet early in the summer, and coho salmon contributing an average of >40% of the diet in late summer. Sockeye salmon appeared to be occasionally important, at >18% in some sample groups. Non-salmonids were rarely observed. Our results are consistent with earlier results based on surface prey remains, and confirm the importance of Chinook salmon in this population's summer diet.
Data from: A pragmatic approach to the analysis of diets of generalist predators: the use of next-generation sequencing with no blocking probes
Predicting whether a predator is capable of affecting the dynamics of a prey species in the field implies the analysis of the complete diet of the predator, not simply rates of predation on a target taxon. Here, we employed the Ion Torrent next-generation sequencing technology to investigate the diet of a generalist arthropod predator. A complete dietary analysis requires the use of general primers, but these will also amplify the predator unless suppressed using a blocking probe. However, blocking probes can potentially block other species, particularly if they are phylogenetically close. Here, we aimed to demonstrate that enough prey sequence could be obtained without blocking probes. In communities with many predators, this approach obviates the need to design and test numerous blocking primers, thus making analysis of complex community food webs a viable proposition. We applied this approach to the analysis of predation by the linyphiid spider Oedothorax fuscus in an arable field. We obtained over two million raw reads. After discarding the low-quality and predator reads, the libraries still contained over 61 000 prey reads (3% of the raw reads; 6% of reads passing quality control). The libraries were rich in Collembola, Lepidoptera, Diptera and Nematoda. They also contained sequences derived from several spider species and from horticultural pests (aphids). Oedothorax fuscus is common in UK cereal fields, and the results showed that it is exploiting a wide range of prey. Next-generation sequencing using general primers but without blocking probes provided ample sequences for analysis of the prey range of this spider and proved to be a simple and inexpensive approach.
Data from: A pipeline for metabarcoding and diet analysis from fecal samples developed for a small semi-aquatic mammal
Metabarcoding allows the genetic analysis of pooled samples of various sources. It is becoming popular in the study of animal diet, especially because it allows the analysis of the composition of feces without the need of handling animals. In this work, we studied the diet of the Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus), a small semi-aquatic mammal endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and the Pyrenees, by sequencing COI minibarcodes from feces using next-generation sequencing techniques. For the identification of assembled sequences, we employed a tree-based identification method that used a reference tree of sequences of freshwater organisms. The comparison of freshly collected fecal samples and older samples showed that fresh samples produced significantly more sequencing reads. They also rendered more operational taxonomical units (OTUs), but not significantly. Our analyses of 41 samples identified 224 OTUs corresponding to species of the reference tree. Ephemeroptera, Diptera excl. Chironomidae, and Chironomidae were the most highly represented groups in terms of reads as well as samples. Other groups of freshwater organisms detected were Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Neuropteroida, Coleoptera, Crustacea, and Annelida. Our results are largely in line with previous morphological and genetic studies on the diet of the Pyrenean desman, but allowed the identification of a higher diversity of OTUs in each sample. Additionally, the bioinformatic pipeline we developed for deep sequencing of fecal samples will enable the quantitative analysis of the diet of this and other species, which can be highly useful to determine their ecological requirements.
Data from: Molecular diet analysis finds an insectivorous desert bat community dominated by resource sharing despite diverse echolocation and foraging strategies
Interspecific differences in traits can alter the relative niche use of species within the same environment. Bats provide an excellent model to study niche use because they have a wide variety of behavioural, acoustic and morphological traits that may lead to multi-species, functional groups. Predatory bats have been classified by their foraging location (edge, clutter, open space), ability to aerial hawk and/or substrate glean prey and echolocation call design and flexibility, all of which may dictate their diet. For example, high frequency, broadband calls do not travel far but offer high object resolution while high intensity, low frequency calls travel further but provide lower resolution. Because these behaviours can be flexible four behavioural categories have been proposed: (1) gleaning, (2) behaviourally flexible (gleaning and hawking), (3) clutter tolerant hawking, and (4) open space hawking. Recent studies of diet in bats use molecular tools to identify prey but mainly focus on one or two species in isolation and few studies provide evidence for substantial differences in prey use despite the many behavioural, acoustic and morphological differences. Here we analyse the diet of 17 sympatric species in the Chihuahuan desert and test the hypothesis that peak echolocation frequency and behavioural categories are linked to differences in diet. We find no significant correlation between dietary richness and echolocation frequency (though it spanned close to 100kHz across species). However, our data suggest that behaviourally flexible bats that use gleaning and aerial hawking have the broadest diets and are the most differentiated from clutter-tolerant aerial hawking species.
Data from: 18S rRNA metabarcoding diet analysis of the predatory fish community across seasonal changes in prey availability
Predator-prey relationships are important ecological interactions, affecting biotic community composition and energy flow through a system, and are of interest to ecologists and managers. Morphological diet analysis has been the primary method used to quantify the diets of predators, but emerging molecular techniques using genetic data can provide more accurate estimates of relative diet composition. This study used sequences from the 18S V9 rRNA barcoding region to identify prey items in the gastrointestinal (GI) tracts of predatory fishes. Predator GI samples were taken from the Black River, Cheboygan Co., MI, USA (n=367 samples, 12 predator species) during periods of high prey availability, including the larval stage of regionally threatened lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens Rafinesque 1817) in late May/early June of 2015 and of relatively lower prey availability in early July of 2015. DNA was extracted and sequenced from 355 samples (96.7%), and prey DNA was identified in 286 of the 355 samples (80.6%). Prey were grouped into 33 ecologically significant taxonomic groups based on the lowest taxonomic level sequences that could be identified using sequences available on GenBank. Changes in the makeup of diet composition, dietary overlap, and predator preference were analyzed comparing the periods of high and low prey abundance. Some predator species exhibited compositional changes in diet. Dietary overlap was slightly but significantly higher during the period of high prey abundance. There was little evidence for large changes in predator preference between the two periods. This study demonstrates the utility of molecular diet analysis in understanding predator-prey interactions in complex freshwater communities.
Data from: Carnivore diet analysis based on next-generation sequencing: application to the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in Pakistan
Diet analysis is a prerequisite to fully understand the biology of a species and the functioning of ecosystems. For carnivores, traditional diet analyses mostly rely upon the morphological identification of undigested remains in the feces. Here, we developed a methodology for carnivore diet analyses based on next generation sequencing. We applied this approach to the analysis of the vertebrate component of leopard cat diet in two ecologically distinct regions in northern Pakistan. Despite being a relatively common species with a wide distribution in Asia, little is known about this elusive predator. We analyzed a total of 38 leopard cat feces. After a classical DNA extraction, the DNA extracts were amplified using primers for vertebrates targeting about 100 bp of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene, with and without a blocking oligonucleotide specific to the predator sequence. The amplification products were then sequenced on a next generation sequencer. We identified a total of 18 prey taxa, including eight mammals, eight birds, one amphibian, and one fish. In general, our results confirmed that the leopard cat has a very eclectic diet, and feeds mainly on rodents, and particularly on the Muridae family. The DNA-based approach we propose here represents a valuable complement to current conventional methods. It can be applied to other carnivore species with only a slight adjustment relating to the design of the blocking oligonucleotide. It is robust, simple to implement, and allows the possibility of very large-scale analyses.
Data from: Analysis of Australian fur seal diet by pyrosequencing prey DNA in faeces
DNA-based techniques have proven useful for defining trophic links in a variety of ecosystems and recently developed sequencing technologies provide new opportunities for dietary studies. We investigated the diet of Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) by pyrosequencing prey DNA from faeces collected at three breeding colonies across the seals' range. DNA from 270 faecal samples was amplified with four polymerase chain reaction primer sets and a blocking primer was used to limit amplification of fur seal DNA. Pooled amplicons from each colony were sequenced using the Roche GS-FLX platform, generating > 20 000 sequences. Software was developed to sort and group similar sequences. A total of 54 bony fish, 4 cartilaginous fish and 4 cephalopods were identified based on the most taxonomically informative amplicons sequenced (mitochondrial 16S). The prevalence of sequences from redbait (Emmelichthys nitidus) and jack mackerel (Trachurus declivis) confirm the importance of these species in the seals' diet. A third fish species, blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus), may be a more important prey species than previously recognised. There were major differences in the proportions of prey DNA recovered in faeces from different colonies, probably reflecting differences in prey availability. Parallel hard-part analysis identified largely the same main prey species as did the DNA-based technique, but with lower species diversity and no remains from cartilaginous prey. The pyrosequencing approach presented significantly expands the capabilities of DNA-based methods of dietary analysis and is suitable for large-scale diet investigations on a broad range of animals.
Supplemntary tables S1-S6 related with the article entitled: LC-MS-Based Plasma Proteome Analysis in Nursery Pigs Fed Diets Enriched with Native Chicory Inulin
<p><span>Table S1: Composition of the pig diet: control diet (C) and diets supplemented with 1% (T1) or 3% (T2) of native chicory inulin.; Table S2: Nutrient contents of the control diet (C) and the diets supplemented with 1% (T1) or 3% (T2) of native chicory inulin.; Table S3: Chemical composition (%) of inulin (IN) used as a feed supplement.; Table S4: Porcine plasma proteins submitted for further analysis.; Table S5: Proteins significantly altered in response to the T1 diet.; Table S6: Proteins significantly altered in response to the T2 diet.</span></p>
Diet analysis of bats killed at wind turbines suggest large-scale losses of trophic interactions
<p>Agricultural practice has led to landscape simplification and biodiversity decline, yet recently, energy producing infrastructures, such as wind turbines, have been added to these simplified agroecosystems, turning them into multi-functional energy-agroecosystems. Here, we studied the trophic interactions of bats killed at wind turbines using a DNA metabarcoding approach to shed light on how turbine-related bat fatalities may possibly feedback on local habitats. Specifically, we identified insect DNA in the stomachs of common noctule bats (<em>Nyctalus noctula</em>) killed by wind turbines in Germany to infer in which habitats these bats hunted. Common noctule bats consumed a wide variety of insects from different habitats, ranging from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems (e.g. wetlands, farmland, forests, and grasslands). Agricultural and silvicultural pest insects made up about 20% of insect species consumed by the studied bats. Our study suggests that the potential damage of wind energy production goes beyond the loss of bats and the decline of bat populations. Bat fatalities at wind turbines may lead to the loss of trophic interactions and ecosystem services provided by bats, which may add to the functional simplification and impaired crop production, respectively, in multi-functional ecosystems.</p>
Data from: Large‐scale molecular diet analysis in a generalist marine mammal reveals male preference for prey of conservation concern
Sex‐specific diet information is important in the determination of predator impacts on prey populations. Unfortunately, the diet of males and females can be difficult to describe, particularly when they are marine predators. We combined two molecular techniques to describe haul‐out use and prey preferences of male and female harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from Comox and Cowichan Bay (Canada) during 2012–2013. DNA metabarcoding quantified the diet proportions comprised of prey species in harbor seal scat, and qPCR determined the sex of the individual that deposited each scat. Using 287 female and 260 male samples, we compared the monthly sex ratio with GLMs and analyzed prey consumption relative to sex, season, site, and year with PERMANOVA. The sex ratio between monthly samples differed widely in both years (range = 12%–79% males) and showed different patterns at each haul‐out site. Male and female diet differed across both years and sites: Females consumed a high proportion of demersal fish species while males consumed more salmonid species. Diet composition was related to both sex and season (PERMANOVA: R2 = 27%, p < 0.001; R2 = 24%, p < 0.001, respectively) and their interaction (PERMANOVA: R2 = 11%, p < 0.001). Diet differences between males and females were consistent across site and year, suggesting fundamental foraging differences, including that males may have a larger impact on salmonids than females. Our novel combination of techniques allowed for both prey taxonomic and spatiotemporal resolution unprecedented in marine predators.
Data from: Metabarcoding dietary analysis of coral dwelling predatory fish demonstrates the minor contribution of coral mutualists to their highly partitioned, generalist diet
Understanding the role of predators in food webs can be challenging in highly diverse predator/prey systems composed of small cryptic species. DNA based dietary analysis can supplement predator removal experiments and provide high resolution for prey identification. Here we use a metabarcoding approach to provide initial insights into the diet and functional role of coral-dwelling predatory fish feeding on small invertebrates. Fish were collected in Moorea (French Polynesia) where the BIOCODE project has generated DNA barcodes for numerous coral associated invertebrate species. Pyrosequencing data revealed a total of 292 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTU) in the gut contents of the arc-eye hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus), the flame hawkfish (Neocirrhites armatus) and the coral croucher (Caracanthus maculatus). One hundred forty-nine (51%) of them had species-level matches in reference libraries (>98% similarity) while 76 additional OTUs (26%) could be identified to higher taxonomic levels. Decapods that have a mutualistic relationship with Pocillopora and are typically dominant among coral branches, represent a minor contribution of the predators' diets. Instead, predators mainly consumed transient species including pelagic taxa such as copepods, chaetognaths and siphonophores suggesting non random feeding behavior. We also identified prey species known to have direct negative interactions with stony corals, such as Hapalocarcinus sp, a gall crab considered a coral parasite, as well as species of vermetid snails known for their deleterious effects on coral growth. Pocillopora DNA accounted for 20.8% and 20.1% of total number of sequences in the guts of the flame hawkfish and coral croucher but it was not detected in the guts of the arc-eye hawkfish. Comparison of diets among the three fishes demonstrates remarkable partitioning with nearly 80% of prey items consumed by only one predator. Overall, the taxonomic resolution provided by the metabarcoding approach highlights a highly complex interaction web and demonstrates that levels of trophic partitioning among coral reef fishes have likely been underestimated. Therefore, we strongly encourage further empirical approaches to dietary studies prior to making assumptions of trophic equivalency in food web reconstruction.
Isotopic analysis reveals landscape patterns in the diet of a subsidized predator, the common raven
<p>1. Anthropogenic subsidies to native predators can have cascading effects on sensitive prey populations, but the spatial mechanisms behind these effects are often unknown.</p> <p>2. We used a stable isotope mixing model to reconstruct spatially naïve assimilated diets of common raven (Corvus corax) chicks and then used regression analysis to investigate landscape patterns in assimilated chick diet, with particular respect to the eggs and chicks of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus).</p> <p>3. Assimilated raven diets were primarily composed of mammal carrion, followed by anthropogenic food and sage-grouse eggs and chicks.</p> <p>4. Raven diets showed landscape gradients, whereby raven chicks in nests near active greater sage-grouse breeding leks consumed a higher proportion of sage-grouse eggs, sage-grouse chicks, and insects in their diet and less mammal carrion. A majority of raven nests on anthropogenic nesting structures (78.7%) were within 5 km of the nearest sage-grouse lek. Ravens nesting in high-probability greater sage-grouse nesting habitat consumed more insects and plants and less mammal carrion.</p> <p>5. In landscapes devoid of natural raven nesting substrates, such as our study area, anthropogenic nesting substrates can 'anchor' breeding ravens nearer to greater sage-grouse leks, with concomitant increases in raven predation on greater sage-grouse nests. Curtailment of anthropogenic nesting substrates within 5 km of a sage-grouse lek may have a disproportionately positive impact on sage-grouse populations. More generally, these findings highlight that the spatial arrangement of anthropogenic subsidies can result in indirect interactions between humans and predators with direct implications for predators and prey.</p>
OTU data and analysis files for interspecies comparison of Philippine terrestrial small mammal diets
<p>Island radiations represent unique evolutionary histories in unique ecological contexts. These radiations provide opportunities to investigate ecological diversification in groups that typically exhibit niche partitioning among their constituents, including partitioning of food resources. DNA metabarcoding produces finer levels of diet identification than traditional methods, allowing us to examine dietary niche partitioning in communities or clades in which species share superficially similar diets. Here we use DNA metabarcoding to investigate dietary niche partitioning in an endemic radiation of mammals in the Philippines. Our data reveal niche partitioning as well as phylogenetically-uncorrelated adaptive evolution in this small mammal community. Because 70% of the focal species belong to the tribe Chrotomyini, an endemic Philippine radiation of murid rodents that feed extensively on earthworms, this study sheds light on dietary adaptation and its role in the co-occurrence of closely related species. Our results reveal fine-scale resource partitioning within this community; our data provide compelling evidence for niche partitioning of diet that was masked by previous diet categories and will help in further dissecting the model adaptive radiation of endemic small mammals on Luzon. This study reinforces the notion that DNA metabarcoding can be a valuable tool for investigating both ecological relationships and evolutionary ecology at the community and phylogenetic level, respectively.</p>
Downtown Diet: a global meta-analysis of urbanization on consumption patterns of vertebrate predators
<p>This dataset contains the summary of published studies included in the meta-analysis along with the R code to calculate within-study variation for those studies where this value was not reported. The .csv files with the calculated effect sizes for species richeness, evenness, carbon, and nitrogen stable isotopes are also included.</p>
Meta-analysis of Vegetarian Diets and Incident Cardiovascular Outcomes
ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT03610828. IPD Sharing: Not stated. Countries: 1. Publications: 10.
Personalized Dietary Intervention Based on Microbiome Analysis vs FODMAP Diet for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT05646186. IPD Sharing: UNDECIDED. Countries: 1. Publications: 1.
Select Nutrient and Gene Variant Analysis in a Targeted Diet and Lifestyle Intervention Reduces Preterm Birth
ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT05436119. IPD Sharing: NO. Countries: 1. Publications: 1.
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