DNA metabarcoding reveals diet diversity and niche partitioning by two sympatric herbivores in summer.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Food provides essential nutrients and energy necessary for animals to sustain life activities. Accordingly, dietary niche analysis facilitates the exploration of foraging strategies and interspecific relationships among wildlife. The vegetation succession has reduced understory forage resources (i.e., shrubs and herbs) available to sika deer (Cervus nippon kopschi). Little is known about the summer foraging strategies or the interspecific relationship between sika deer and Reeves' muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi).

Methods

The present study used high-throughput sequencing and DNA metabarcoding techniques to investigate the feeding habits and interspecific relationships between sika deer and Reeves' muntjac in our study.

Results

A total of 458

SUBMITTER: Li R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11670756 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature