Combining stable isotopes, morphological, and molecular analyses to reconstruct the diet of free-ranging consumers.

ABSTRACT: Accurate estimates of animal diet composition are essential to untangle complex interactions in food webs. Biomarkers and molecular tools are increasingly used to estimate diet, sometimes alongside traditional dietary tracing methods. Yet only a few empirical studies have compared the outcomes and potential gains of using a combination of these methods, especially using free-ranging animals with distinct foraging preferences.We used stable isotopes, morphological, and molecular analyses to investigate the diet of free-ranging consumers with two distinct diet types, that is, carnivore and omnivore. By combining the three analytical methods to assess the diet of consumers during the same period, we aimed to identify the limits of each method and to assess the potential benefits of their comb

SUBMITTER: Bonin M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7381590 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature