DNA-based seed intake quantification for enhanced ecological risk assessment of small mammals
To prevent the non-acceptable effects of agrochemicals on arable fields, Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) aims to assess and protect against a wide range of risks due to stressors to non-target species. While exposure to stress is a key factor in ERA models, exposure values are difficult to obtai...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023-07-01
|
| Series: | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651323005407 |
| _version_ | 1797812782310096896 |
|---|---|
| author | Kevin Groen Jens Jacob Susanne Hein Emilie A. Didaskalou Peter M. van Bodegom Joerg Hahne Krijn B. Trimbos |
| author_facet | Kevin Groen Jens Jacob Susanne Hein Emilie A. Didaskalou Peter M. van Bodegom Joerg Hahne Krijn B. Trimbos |
| author_sort | Kevin Groen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To prevent the non-acceptable effects of agrochemicals on arable fields, Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) aims to assess and protect against a wide range of risks due to stressors to non-target species. While exposure to stress is a key factor in ERA models, exposure values are difficult to obtain and rely on laboratory studies with often debatable relevance to field situations. To improve intake estimates, data from realistic field-based scenarios are needed. We developed calibration curves relating known seed numbers of up to 20 onion and carrot seeds consumed by wild-caught wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) to the seed DNA content in the feces. Based on these inferred quantitative relationships, a field trial was run to determine seed intake in a natural setting using realistic levels of seed spillage. Onion DNA was detected in the fecal samples of the wood mice caught in the field, which resembled a seed intake of up to 1 onion seed. No intake of carrot seeds was detected. This is the first-ever study to quantify seed intake in a realistic field scenario using a DNA-based analysis, showing that accurate seed intake estimates can be obtained. Our approach can help to improve risk assessment models through its minimally-invasive and accurate assessment of seed intake by ERA representative and non-target species, which would otherwise be undetectable with traditional methods. Our novel approach and its results are highly relevant to studies of food intake and diet composition for basic and applied research alike. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:43:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3273d267efa7411f8e8a0518216bfb0b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0147-6513 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:43:34Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| spelling | doaj.art-3273d267efa7411f8e8a0518216bfb0b2023-06-03T04:21:32ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132023-07-01259115036DNA-based seed intake quantification for enhanced ecological risk assessment of small mammalsKevin Groen0Jens Jacob1Susanne Hein2Emilie A. Didaskalou3Peter M. van Bodegom4Joerg Hahne5Krijn B. Trimbos6Environmental Biology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Van Steenis, Building, Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC Leiden, the Netherlands; Correspondence to: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Van Steenis Building, Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC Leiden, the Netherlands.Rodent Research, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI) Federal Research Institute for Cultivated Plants, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, GermanyVertebrate Research, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI) Federal Research Institute for Cultivated Plants, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, GermanyEnvironmental Biology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Van Steenis, Building, Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC Leiden, the NetherlandsEnvironmental Biology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Van Steenis, Building, Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC Leiden, the NetherlandsBayer AG, Crop Science Division, Terrestrial Vertebrates, Monheim am Rhein, GermanyEnvironmental Biology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Van Steenis, Building, Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC Leiden, the NetherlandsTo prevent the non-acceptable effects of agrochemicals on arable fields, Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) aims to assess and protect against a wide range of risks due to stressors to non-target species. While exposure to stress is a key factor in ERA models, exposure values are difficult to obtain and rely on laboratory studies with often debatable relevance to field situations. To improve intake estimates, data from realistic field-based scenarios are needed. We developed calibration curves relating known seed numbers of up to 20 onion and carrot seeds consumed by wild-caught wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) to the seed DNA content in the feces. Based on these inferred quantitative relationships, a field trial was run to determine seed intake in a natural setting using realistic levels of seed spillage. Onion DNA was detected in the fecal samples of the wood mice caught in the field, which resembled a seed intake of up to 1 onion seed. No intake of carrot seeds was detected. This is the first-ever study to quantify seed intake in a realistic field scenario using a DNA-based analysis, showing that accurate seed intake estimates can be obtained. Our approach can help to improve risk assessment models through its minimally-invasive and accurate assessment of seed intake by ERA representative and non-target species, which would otherwise be undetectable with traditional methods. Our novel approach and its results are highly relevant to studies of food intake and diet composition for basic and applied research alike.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651323005407Apodemus sylvaticusDNA-based diet analysisDroplet digital PCRQuantificationEnvironmental risk assessmentExposure estimates |
| spellingShingle | Kevin Groen Jens Jacob Susanne Hein Emilie A. Didaskalou Peter M. van Bodegom Joerg Hahne Krijn B. Trimbos DNA-based seed intake quantification for enhanced ecological risk assessment of small mammals Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Apodemus sylvaticus DNA-based diet analysis Droplet digital PCR Quantification Environmental risk assessment Exposure estimates |
| title | DNA-based seed intake quantification for enhanced ecological risk assessment of small mammals |
| title_full | DNA-based seed intake quantification for enhanced ecological risk assessment of small mammals |
| title_fullStr | DNA-based seed intake quantification for enhanced ecological risk assessment of small mammals |
| title_full_unstemmed | DNA-based seed intake quantification for enhanced ecological risk assessment of small mammals |
| title_short | DNA-based seed intake quantification for enhanced ecological risk assessment of small mammals |
| title_sort | dna based seed intake quantification for enhanced ecological risk assessment of small mammals |
| topic | Apodemus sylvaticus DNA-based diet analysis Droplet digital PCR Quantification Environmental risk assessment Exposure estimates |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651323005407 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kevingroen dnabasedseedintakequantificationforenhancedecologicalriskassessmentofsmallmammals AT jensjacob dnabasedseedintakequantificationforenhancedecologicalriskassessmentofsmallmammals AT susannehein dnabasedseedintakequantificationforenhancedecologicalriskassessmentofsmallmammals AT emilieadidaskalou dnabasedseedintakequantificationforenhancedecologicalriskassessmentofsmallmammals AT petermvanbodegom dnabasedseedintakequantificationforenhancedecologicalriskassessmentofsmallmammals AT joerghahne dnabasedseedintakequantificationforenhancedecologicalriskassessmentofsmallmammals AT krijnbtrimbos dnabasedseedintakequantificationforenhancedecologicalriskassessmentofsmallmammals |