Application of a dual-locus metabarcoding approach for a more comprehensive account of cattle dietary items in a semi-arid African savanna with special reference to forbs

Metabarcoding and Metagenomics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 8

Published: Nov. 22, 2024

Increasing livestock densities and more severe drought events challenge sustainable management in South Africa’s semi-arid savannas. Effective mitigation strategies require accurate assessments of foraging behaviour. By utilising high-throughput sequencing technology, this study evaluated the use a dual-locus metabarcoding approach ( trn L rbc L) together with study-area-specific reference libraries, to analyse cattle diets two bioregions eastern African savanna. Both markers demonstrated ability identify various plant families, but exhibited higher diversity terms family genus identification at both sampling sites. Forbs, although comprising diverse component savanna communities, have relatively small above-ground biomass, can still serve as crucial forage items, especially during dry periods. Our underscores significant role forbs diets, demonstrating shift preferences from grass-based inclusions woody taxa drier season. Although grasses, such Setaria , were prevalent, forbs, belonging genera Malvastrum Asparagus Pollichia Ipomoea also important food items for well Fabaceae, Combretaceae, Ebenaceae, Malvaceae selection trees shrubs Albizia Combretum Euclea Vachellia. Furthermore, our highlights value understanding herbivorous diets. Using markers, improves taxonomic resolution accurately reconstructing This may improve biodiversity estimates inform rangeland ecosystems.

Language: Английский

Innovative approaches to food traceability with DNA barcoding: Beyond traditional labels and certifications

Ecological Genetics and Genomics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 34, P. 100317 - 100317

Published: Dec. 11, 2024

Language: Английский