Combining DNA metabarcoding and ecological networks to inform conservation biocontrol by small vertebrate predators

ABSTRACT: In multifunctional landscapes, diverse communities of flying vertebrate predators provide vital services of insect pest control. In such landscapes, conservation biocontrol should benefit service-providing species to enhance the flow, stability, and resilience of pest control services supporting the production of food and fibre. However, this would require identifying key service providers, which may be challenging where multiple predators interact with multiple pests. Here we provide a framework to identify the functional role of individual species to pest control in multifunctional landscapes. First, we use DNA metabarcoding to provide detailed data on pest species predation by diverse predator communities. Then, these data feed into an extensive network analysis, where information relev

ORGANISM(S): Chiroptera

SUBMITTER: Vanessa A. Mata 

PROVIDER: S-BSST634 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other