Beware of plant DNA in animal dietary metabarcoding: lessons from a strictly insectivorous bat

ABSTRACT: DNA metabarcoding is increasingly used in dietary studies, but it faces challenges in detecting non-food taxa. Identifying plant DNA in omnivore diets is particularly difficult, as distinguishing food from non-food items is often unclear. These issues are noted in the literature, but their implications are poorly understood, limiting result interpretation and mitigation strategies. We assessed non-food plant DNA in the diet of the insectivorous bat Tadarida teniotis, analyzing 281 faecal samples collected monthly from April to October. We modeled plant detections based on pollination syndromes, phenology, and habitat associations, and estimated co-occurrences with arthropods. The bat’s arthropod diet was consistent with prior studies. Plant DNA was found in 82.9% of samples, representing 1

ORGANISM(S): plantae Tadarida teniotis

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PROVIDER: S-BSST1641 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other