Assessing the diet and seed dispersal ability of non-native sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) in native ecosystems of south-eastern Australia.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the influence of non-native herbivores on ecosystems by means of dietary foraging and seed dispersal is important for understanding how non-native species can alter an invaded landscape, yet requires multiple methodologies. In south-eastern Australia, introduced sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) are rapidly expanding in range and placing native ecosystems at risk through browsing and as vectors for seed dispersal. We simultaneously investigated sambar deer dietary composition and seed dispersal using DNA sequencing and germination trials, from faecal pellets collected in alpine and wet forest ecosystems. This allowed us to contrast the dietary impacts of introduced sambar deer in different environments, and to explore the potential for habitat-specific variation in diet. DNA

SUBMITTER: Quin MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10682569 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature