Assessment of seasonal variation of diet composition in rodents using DNA barcoding and Real-Time PCR

Abstract

The study of animal diet and feeding behaviour is a fundamental tool for the illustration of the ecological role of species in the ecosystem. However, size and quality of food intake samples make it hard for researchers to describe the diet composition of many small species. In our study, we exploited genomic tools for the analysis of the diet composition of the Savi’s pine vole (Microtus savii) using DNA barcoding and qPCR techniques for the identification of ingested plant species retrieved from stomach contents. In contrast with previous studies, we found that, despite being a fossorial species, the Savi’s pine vole is a selective feeder that undergoes intense superficial activity in search for food. In addition, our study shows that with a a priori knowledge of the candidate plant species included in animal diet, qPCR is a powerful tool to assess presence/absence, frequency of occurrence and electivity of ingested species. We conclude that this approach offers new opportunities to implement the analysis of food selection in small animals, thereby revealing a detailed picture of plant-animal interactions.

Investigation into clinicopathological and pathological findings, prognosis, and aetiology of lorikeet paralysis syndrome in rainbow lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus)

“…Therefore, we suggest that the next step in seeking the cause of LPS is tracking blossoming and fruiting patterns of plants that lorikeets feed on and correlating them with the areas in which lorikeets with LPS are found or using DNA barcoding to identify plants consumed by lorikeets with LPS. 25 Diagnostics and Laboratory Services Sustainability and Biosecurity Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Western Australia for testing for clostridial toxins.…”

“…Therefore, we suggest that the next step in seeking the cause of LPS is tracking blossoming and fruiting patterns of plants that lorikeets feed on and correlating them with the areas in which lorikeets with LPS are found or using DNA barcoding to identify plants consumed by lorikeets with LPS. 25 …”

Use of NIRS in Wild Rodents’ Research: A Review of Timid Beginnings

“…In arable landscapes, NIRS can ascertain the real impact of small rodents on crops. Although these mammals sometimes cause great damage in agriculture, it is not clear when and what they eat in the fields; sometimes there are many rodents, even in crops that are not suitable food for them (for example, corn, wheat, or barley for common voles) [80,81]. Weeds growing in fields with these crops may be a more suitable food for rodents [82].…”

Feeding ecology of a lesser‐known arboreal giant: Grizzled Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura), Southern Western Ghats, India

“…The ecological niche of an animal in an ecosystem can be revealed by understanding its diet and feeding behaviour (Bookhout, 1994; Dell'Agnello et al., 2019). Nutrient and energy contents play a major role in the selection of foods that the squirrels eat (Gurnell, 1987).…”