Airborne eDNA Reveals Resource-Based Assembly of Frugivorous Vertebrates.

ABSTRACT: Food availability is a fundamental driver of vertebrate spatial distributions, yet quantifying these relationships across taxonomic groups remains challenging in structurally complex ecosystems such as tropical rainforests. Understanding how resource heterogeneity shapes community structure is critical for advancing ecological theory and informing conservation strategies. We combined airborne environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling with ground-based fruit tree surveys in the Xishuangbanna tropical rainforest to test whether measurable animal genetic traces in the air reflect the fine-scale distribution of animals driven by fruit resources. Airborne eDNA sampling revealed a diverse vertebrate community, with 71 bird and 18 mammal species detected at high spatial resolution in tropical rainforests

SUBMITTER: Cai W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12550463 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature