DNA metabarcoding reveals a broad dietary range for Tasmanian devils introduced to a naive ecosystem
Abstract Top carnivores are essential for maintaining ecosystem stability and biodiversity. Yet, carnivores are declining globally and current in situ threat mitigations cannot halt population declines. As such, translocations of carnivores to historic sites or those outside the species’ native rang...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8936 |
| _version_ | 1811256219602518016 |
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| author | Elspeth A. McLennan Phil Wise Andrew V. Lee Catherine E. Grueber Katherine Belov Carolyn J. Hogg |
| author_facet | Elspeth A. McLennan Phil Wise Andrew V. Lee Catherine E. Grueber Katherine Belov Carolyn J. Hogg |
| author_sort | Elspeth A. McLennan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Top carnivores are essential for maintaining ecosystem stability and biodiversity. Yet, carnivores are declining globally and current in situ threat mitigations cannot halt population declines. As such, translocations of carnivores to historic sites or those outside the species’ native range are becoming increasingly common. As carnivores are likely to impact herbivore and small predator populations, understanding how carnivores interact within an ecosystem following translocation is necessary to inform potential remedial management and future translocations. Dietary analyses provide a preliminary assessment of the direct influence of translocated carnivores on a recipient ecosystem. We used a metabarcoding approach to quantify the diet of Tasmanian devils introduced to Maria Island, Tasmania, a site outside the species’ native range. We extracted DNA from 96 scats and used a universal primer set targeting the vertebrate 12S rRNA gene to identify diet items. Tasmanian devils on Maria Island had an eclectic diet, with 63 consumed taxa identified. Cat DNA was detected in 14% of scats, providing the first instance of cats appearing as part of Tasmanian devil diets either via predation or scavenging. Short‐tail shearwaters and little penguins were commonly consumed, corresponding with previous surveys showing sharp population declines in these species since the introduction of Tasmanian devils. Our results indicate that the introduction of carnivores to novel ecosystems can be very successful for the focal species, but that commonly consumed species should be closely monitored to identify any vulnerable species in need of remedial management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:36:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9402831b66cc4b1cb850e140d95469c7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:36:53Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-9402831b66cc4b1cb850e140d95469c72022-12-22T03:22:57ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582022-05-01125n/an/a10.1002/ece3.8936DNA metabarcoding reveals a broad dietary range for Tasmanian devils introduced to a naive ecosystemElspeth A. McLennan0Phil Wise1Andrew V. Lee2Catherine E. Grueber3Katherine Belov4Carolyn J. Hogg5School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales AustraliaSave the Tasmanian Devil Program NRE Hobart Tasmania AustraliaSave the Tasmanian Devil Program NRE Hobart Tasmania AustraliaSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales AustraliaSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales AustraliaSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales AustraliaAbstract Top carnivores are essential for maintaining ecosystem stability and biodiversity. Yet, carnivores are declining globally and current in situ threat mitigations cannot halt population declines. As such, translocations of carnivores to historic sites or those outside the species’ native range are becoming increasingly common. As carnivores are likely to impact herbivore and small predator populations, understanding how carnivores interact within an ecosystem following translocation is necessary to inform potential remedial management and future translocations. Dietary analyses provide a preliminary assessment of the direct influence of translocated carnivores on a recipient ecosystem. We used a metabarcoding approach to quantify the diet of Tasmanian devils introduced to Maria Island, Tasmania, a site outside the species’ native range. We extracted DNA from 96 scats and used a universal primer set targeting the vertebrate 12S rRNA gene to identify diet items. Tasmanian devils on Maria Island had an eclectic diet, with 63 consumed taxa identified. Cat DNA was detected in 14% of scats, providing the first instance of cats appearing as part of Tasmanian devil diets either via predation or scavenging. Short‐tail shearwaters and little penguins were commonly consumed, corresponding with previous surveys showing sharp population declines in these species since the introduction of Tasmanian devils. Our results indicate that the introduction of carnivores to novel ecosystems can be very successful for the focal species, but that commonly consumed species should be closely monitored to identify any vulnerable species in need of remedial management.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8936assisted colonisationcarnivoreDietmetabarcoding |
| spellingShingle | Elspeth A. McLennan Phil Wise Andrew V. Lee Catherine E. Grueber Katherine Belov Carolyn J. Hogg DNA metabarcoding reveals a broad dietary range for Tasmanian devils introduced to a naive ecosystem Ecology and Evolution assisted colonisation carnivore Diet metabarcoding |
| title | DNA metabarcoding reveals a broad dietary range for Tasmanian devils introduced to a naive ecosystem |
| title_full | DNA metabarcoding reveals a broad dietary range for Tasmanian devils introduced to a naive ecosystem |
| title_fullStr | DNA metabarcoding reveals a broad dietary range for Tasmanian devils introduced to a naive ecosystem |
| title_full_unstemmed | DNA metabarcoding reveals a broad dietary range for Tasmanian devils introduced to a naive ecosystem |
| title_short | DNA metabarcoding reveals a broad dietary range for Tasmanian devils introduced to a naive ecosystem |
| title_sort | dna metabarcoding reveals a broad dietary range for tasmanian devils introduced to a naive ecosystem |
| topic | assisted colonisation carnivore Diet metabarcoding |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8936 |
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