Using DNA metabarcoding for simultaneous inference of common vampire bat diet and population structure.

ABSTRACT: Metabarcoding diet analysis has become a valuable tool in animal ecology; however, co-amplified predator sequences are not generally used for anything other than to validate predator identity. Exemplified by the common vampire bat, we demonstrate the use of metabarcoding to infer predator population structure alongside diet assessments. Growing populations of common vampire bats impact human, livestock and wildlife health in Latin America through transmission of pathogens, such as lethal rabies viruses. Techniques to determine large-scale variation in vampire bat diet and bat population structure would empower locality- and species-specific projections of disease transmission risks. However, previously used methods are not cost-effective and efficient for large-scale applications. Using bl

SUBMITTER: Bohmann K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6120510 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature