DNA Metabarcoding Illuminates Seasonal Dietary Pattern and Niche Partitioning by Three Sympatric Herbivores DOI Creative Commons
Dandan Wang,

Zhiming Cao,

Yuqin Liu

et al.

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(4)

Published: April 1, 2025

Diet composition is among the most critical dimensions of animal ecology, yet seasonal dietary diversity has rarely been investigated in sympatric herbivores. This study used DNA metabarcoding to conduct an analysis variations diet and trophic niches for sika deer, Reeves' muntjac, Chinese hare Taohongling National Nature Reserve (TNNR). The results showed that Smilax china (11.79%) was leading food eaten by deer summer, whereas dominated Rubus spp. (36.42%) Loropetalum chinense (25.48%) winter; accounted majority muntjac's throughout year. In comparison, primarily consumed from winter spring but changed Poa annua (10.81%) Setaria viridis (23.05%) summer fall. Compared other seasons, significant differences (Shannon index, p < 0.05) occurred showing higher items across three herbivorous. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) suggested partitioning hares compared two ruminants. Both muntjac occupied a wider niche breadth reflecting generalised feeding habits (Sd: Ba = 0.06; Rm: 0.04) lower fall (Ba 0.01) with stronger selectivity specialization, which consistent optimal foraging theory. Notably, no difference indicated (p > 0.05). overlap indices were 0.989 (fall) 0.831 (winter) between indicating similarity overlap. However, plant taxa abundance ratios may facilitate partitioning. herbivores reflected plant-herbivore interactions correlated strategies, coexistence reduce competition co-occurring species dimension.

Language: Английский

DNA Metabarcoding Illuminates Seasonal Dietary Pattern and Niche Partitioning by Three Sympatric Herbivores DOI Creative Commons
Dandan Wang,

Zhiming Cao,

Yuqin Liu

et al.

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(4)

Published: April 1, 2025

Diet composition is among the most critical dimensions of animal ecology, yet seasonal dietary diversity has rarely been investigated in sympatric herbivores. This study used DNA metabarcoding to conduct an analysis variations diet and trophic niches for sika deer, Reeves' muntjac, Chinese hare Taohongling National Nature Reserve (TNNR). The results showed that Smilax china (11.79%) was leading food eaten by deer summer, whereas dominated Rubus spp. (36.42%) Loropetalum chinense (25.48%) winter; accounted majority muntjac's throughout year. In comparison, primarily consumed from winter spring but changed Poa annua (10.81%) Setaria viridis (23.05%) summer fall. Compared other seasons, significant differences (Shannon index, p < 0.05) occurred showing higher items across three herbivorous. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) suggested partitioning hares compared two ruminants. Both muntjac occupied a wider niche breadth reflecting generalised feeding habits (Sd: Ba = 0.06; Rm: 0.04) lower fall (Ba 0.01) with stronger selectivity specialization, which consistent optimal foraging theory. Notably, no difference indicated (p > 0.05). overlap indices were 0.989 (fall) 0.831 (winter) between indicating similarity overlap. However, plant taxa abundance ratios may facilitate partitioning. herbivores reflected plant-herbivore interactions correlated strategies, coexistence reduce competition co-occurring species dimension.

Language: Английский

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