scholarly journals Dung beetles as samplers of mammals in Malaysian Borneo—a test of high throughput metabarcoding of iDNA

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e11897
Author(s):  
Rosie Drinkwater ◽  
Joseph Williamson ◽  
Elizabeth L. Clare ◽  
Arthur Y.C. Chung ◽  
Stephen J. Rossiter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Iucn Red List ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Gut Contents ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrates ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Short Time

Invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA) sampling in biodiversity surveys is becoming increasingly widespread, with most terrestrial studies relying on DNA derived from the gut contents of blood-feeding invertebrates, such as leeches and mosquitoes. Dung beetles (superfamily Scarabaeoidea) primarily feed on the faecal matter of terrestrial vertebrates and offer several potential benefits over blood-feeding invertebrates as samplers of vertebrate DNA. Importantly, these beetles can be easily captured in large numbers using simple, inexpensive baited traps, are globally distributed, and occur in a wide range of habitats. To build on the few existing studies demonstrating the potential of dung beetles as sources of mammalian DNA, we subjected the large-bodied, Bornean dung beetle (Catharsius renaudpauliani) to a controlled feeding experiment. We analysed DNA from gut contents at different times after feeding using qPCR techniques. Here, we first describe the window of DNA persistence within a dung beetle digestive tract. We found that the ability to successfully amplify cattle DNA decayed over relatively short time periods, with DNA copy number decreasing by two orders of magnitude in just 6 h. In addition, we sampled communities of dung beetles from a lowland tropical rainforest in Sabah, Malaysia, in order to test whether it is possible to identify vertebrate sequences from dung beetle iDNA. We sequenced both the gut contents from large dung beetle species, as well as whole communities of smaller beetles. We successfully identified six mammalian species from our samples, including the bearded pig (Sus barbatus) and the sambar deer (Rusa unicolor)—both vulnerable species on the IUCN red list. Our results represent the first use of dung beetle iDNA to sample Southeast Asian vertebrate fauna, and highlight the potential for dung beetle iDNA to be used in future biodiversity monitoring surveys.

scholarly journals Dung beetles as vertebrate samplers – a test of high throughput analysis of dung beetle iDNA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosie Drinkwater ◽  
Elizabeth L. Clare ◽  
Arthur Y. C. Chung ◽  
Stephen J. Rossiter ◽  
Eleanor M. Slade
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
High Throughput Analysis ◽  
Humid Forest ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrates ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractThe application of environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling in biodiversity surveys has gained widespread acceptance, especially in aquatic systems where free eDNA can be readily collected by filtering water. In terrestrial systems, eDNA-based approaches for assaying vertebrate biodiversity have tended to rely on blood-feeding invertebrates, including leeches and mosquitoes (termed invertebrate-derived DNA or iDNA). However, a key limitation of using blood-feeding taxa as samplers is that they are difficult to trap, and, in the case of leeches, are highly restricted to humid forest ecosystems. Dung beetles (superfamily Scarabaeoidea) feed on the faecal matter of terrestrial vertebrates and offer several potential benefits over blood-feeding invertebrates as samplers of vertebrate DNA. Importantly, these beetles can be easily captured in large numbers using simple, inexpensive baited traps; are globally distributed; and also occur in a wide range of biomes, allowing mammal diversity to be compared across habitats. In this exploratory study, we test the potential utility of dung beetles as vertebrate samplers by sequencing the mammal DNA contained within their guts. First, using a controlled feeding experiment, we show that mammalian DNA can be retrieved from the guts of large dung beetles (Catharsius renaudpauliani) for up to 10 hours after feeding. Second, by combining high-throughput sequencing of a multi-species assemblage of dung beetles with PCR replicates, we show that multiple mammal taxa can be identified with high confidence. By providing preliminary evidence that dung beetles can be used as a source of mammal DNA, our study highlights the potential for this widespread group to be used in future biodiversity monitoring surveys.

scholarly journals Treating cattle with antibiotics affects greenhouse gas emissions, and microbiota in dung and dung beetles

2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1831) ◽  
pp. 20160150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobin J. Hammer ◽  
Noah Fierer ◽  
Bess Hardwick ◽  
Asko Simojoki ◽  
Eleanor Slade ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Antibiotic Treatment ◽  
Methanogenic Archaea ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Antibiotic Effect ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Survival And Reproduction

Antibiotics are routinely used to improve livestock health and growth. However, this practice may have unintended environmental impacts mediated by interactions among the wide range of micro- and macroorganisms found in agroecosystems. For example, antibiotics may alter microbial emissions of greenhouse gases by affecting livestock gut microbiota. Furthermore, antibiotics may affect the microbiota of non-target animals that rely on dung, such as dung beetles, and the ecosystem services they provide. To examine these interactions, we treated cattle with a commonly used broad-spectrum antibiotic and assessed downstream effects on microbiota in dung and dung beetles, greenhouse gas fluxes from dung, and beetle size, survival and reproduction. We found that antibiotic treatment restructured microbiota in dung beetles, which harboured a microbial community distinct from those in the dung they were consuming. The antibiotic effect on beetle microbiota was not associated with smaller size or lower numbers. Unexpectedly, antibiotic treatment raised methane fluxes from dung, possibly by altering the interactions between methanogenic archaea and bacteria in rumen and dung environments. Our findings that antibiotics restructure dung beetle microbiota and modify greenhouse gas emissions from dung indicate that antibiotic treatment may have unintended, cascading ecological effects that extend beyond the target animal.

scholarly journals Dung beetle community assemblages in a southern African landscape: niche overlap between domestic and wild herbivore dung

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
B. Sands ◽  
N. Mgidiswa ◽  
S. Curson ◽  
C. Nyamukondiwa ◽  
R. Wall
Keyword(s):  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cattle Dung ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Domestic Livestock ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
Diurnal Species

Abstract Dung beetles provide important ecosystem functions in semiarid environments, improving the physiochemical characteristics of the soil through tunnelling and burying nutrient-rich dung. In sub-Saharan Africa, diverse indigenous mammal communities support highly abundant dung beetle populations in savannah ecosystems. However, the conversion of landscapes to livestock agriculture may result in changes in the abundance and diversity of wild mammal species. This is likely to have significant impacts on dung beetle communities, particularly because domestic livestock dung may be contaminated with toxic residues of veterinary parasiticides. The environmental impact is likely to be affected by the degree of niche overlap between the beetle communities that colonize cattle dung and those that colonize the dung of wild mammals. We compared dung beetle communities between a pristine national park habitat dominated by large wild herbivores, and a pastoral farming community dominated by domestic livestock. Diurnal dung beetles were attracted to cattle dung in greater abundance and diversity compared to elephant, zebra or giraffe dung. Nocturnal/crepuscular dung beetles were attracted to non-ruminant dung (elephant and zebra) in higher abundance compared to ruminant dung (cattle and giraffe). Although there were no clear trophic specializations, three diurnal species showed an association with cattle dung, whereas eight nocturnal/crepuscular species showed an association with non-ruminant (elephant and zebra) dung. Diurnal species may be at greater risk from the toxic effects of residues of veterinary parasiticides in domestic livestock dung. Although many species showed trophic associations with wild herbivore dung, these beetles can utilize a wide range of dung and will readily colonize cattle dung in the absence of other options. As more land is converted to livestock agriculture, the contamination of dung with toxic residues from veterinary parasiticides could therefore negatively impact the majority of dung beetle species.

scholarly journals Dung beetle–mammal associations: methods, research trends and future directions

2019 ◽  
Vol 286 (1897) ◽  
pp. 20182002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth H. Raine ◽  
Eleanor M. Slade
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Functioning ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance

Dung beetles are increasingly used as a study taxon—both as bioindicators of environmental change, and as a model system for exploring ecosystem functioning. The advantages of this focal taxon approach are many; dung beetles are abundant in a wide range of terrestrial ecosystems, speciose, straightforward to sample, respond to environmental gradients and can be easily manipulated to explore species-functioning relationships. However, there remain large gaps in our understanding of the relationship between dung beetles and the mammals they rely on for dung. Here we review the literature, showing that despite an increase in the study of dung beetles linked to ecosystem functioning and to habitat and land use change, there has been little research into their associations with mammals. We summarize the methods and findings from dung beetle–mammal association studies to date, revealing that although empirical field studies of dung beetles rarely include mammal data, those that do, indicate mammal species presence and composition has a large impact on dung beetle species richness and abundance. We then review the methods used to carry out diet preference and ecosystem functioning studies, finding that despite the assumption that dung beetles are generalist feeders, there are few quantitative studies that directly address this. Together this suggests that conclusions about the effects of habitat change on dung beetles are based on incomplete knowledge. We provide recommendations for future work to identify the importance of considering mammal data for dung beetle distributions, composition and their contributions to ecosystem functioning; a critical step if dung beetles are to be used as a reliable bioindicator taxon.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal effects on dung beetle activities in island forests-home garden matrix in a tropical village landscape

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Asha ◽  
K. Manoj ◽  
P. P. Megha ◽  
Palatty Allesh Sinu
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Functional Groups ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Home Gardens ◽  
Home Garden ◽  
Sacred Groves ◽  
Open Habitat ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Closed Habitat

AbstractInsects in seasonal tropics experience a wide range of temperatures along seasons, habitats, and a day. Therefore, the thermal tolerance of the insects can be a major driver for their habitat preference, temporal patterns of activity, and formation of communities. We examined the dung beetle communities of eleven pairs of neighboring open (home gardens) and closed habitats (sacred groves) during dry and wet seasons and diel periods (day and night) to understand the dung beetle activities along a spatiotemporal gradient constituted by the sacred groves—home garden matrix on a tropical village landscape. We tested the following hypotheses: (i) closed habitats have greater activities of dung beetles over open habitats; (ii) the diurnal communities of dung beetles are different from the nocturnal communities; and (iii) the diurnal-nocturnal activities of dung beetles could be predicted by the habitat and season. We considered abundance, richness, total biomass, and Shannon diversity of overall beetles, abundance of different functional groups, and species composition in communities as the quantitative measures in the predictive statistical models. In total, 2727 dung beetles belonging to 38 species, ten genera, and three functional groups were collected. The open habitat supported more number of dung beetles (N = 2318) than the closed habitat (N = 409). The diurnal communities were different from nocturnal communities, particularly in open habitat, where the temperature was different between day and night. The dominant species of the diurnal communities of open habitat hardly used the closed habitat in any context including dry–wet seasons, but the nocturnal communities of the open habitat were closer to the communities of closed habitat. The diel period and habitat predicted the abundance activity of functional groups; season was a poor predictor of dung beetle activities. Given that the species composition has turned over across habitats, and the closed habitat supported remarkably lesser number of beetles than the open habitats, the closed habitat is unlikely to be a thermal refuge for the open habitat species in village landscapes that have island forests, such as sacred groves, and home gardens form a matrix.

scholarly journals Wood Pastures: A Transitional Habitat between Forests and Pastures for Dung Beetle Assemblages

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
László Somay ◽  
Viktor Szigeti ◽  
Gergely Boros ◽  
Réka Ádám ◽  
András Báldi
Keyword(s):  
Functional Group ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Pitfall Traps ◽  
Assemblage Composition ◽  
Beetle Assemblages

Wood pastures are home to a variety of species, including the dung beetle. Dung beetles are an important functional group in decomposition. Specifically, in terms of livestock manure, they not only contribute to nutrient cycling but are key players in supporting human and animal health. Dung beetles, however, are declining in population, and urgent recommendations are needed to reverse this trend. Recommendations need to be based on solid evidence and specific habitats. Herein, we aimed to investigate the role of an intermediate habitat type between forests and pastures. Wood pastures are key areas for dung beetle conservation. For this reason, we compared dung beetle assemblages among forests, wood pastures, and grasslands. We complemented this with studies on the effects of dung type and season at three Hungarian locations. Pitfall traps baited with cattle, sheep, or horse dung were used in forests, wood pastures, and pasture habitats in spring, summer, and autumn. Dung beetle assemblages of wood pastures showed transient characteristics between forests and pastures regarding their abundance, species richness, Shannon diversity, assemblage composition, and indicator species. We identified a strong effect of season and a weak of dung type. Assemblage composition proved to be the most sensitive measure of differences among habitats. The conservation of dung beetles, and the decomposition services they provide, need continuous livestock grazing to provide fresh dung, as well as the maintenance of wood pastures where dung beetle assemblages typical of forests and pastures can both survive.

scholarly journals Effects of local isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin on the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae)

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cenk Yucel
Keyword(s):  
Tetranychus Urticae ◽  
Beauveria Bassiana ◽  
Spider Mite ◽  
Lethal Effect ◽  
Probit Analysis ◽  
Plant Feeding ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Two Spotted Spider Mite ◽  
Short Time ◽  
Tetranychus Urticae Koch

Abstract Background The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae), is a widely distributed plant-feeding pest that causes significant yield losses in a wide range of crops. Newly developed or improved environmentally friendly biocontrol agents serve as an alternative to traditional pest control tools. Experiment of the effects of 2 local fungal isolates of Beauveria bassiana (BGF14 and BCA32) was carried out against T. urticae under laboratory conditions. Results Both tested isolates had lethal effect in a short time after application, and this effect increased as time progressed. BGF14 and BCA32 isolates caused T. urticae mortality rates ranging from 25.88 to 61.92 and 32.36 to 62.03% when applied at the concentrations between 1×105 and 1×108 conidia/ml, respectively. According to the Probit analysis performed on the effect of fungi on T. urticae adults, the LC50 values of BGF14 and BCA32 isolates on the 7th day after inoculation were 2.6×106 and 6.3×104 conidia/ml, respectively, and the LT50 values for both fungi applied at a concentration of 108 conidia/ml were 2.14 and 2.23 days, respectively. Conclusions The 2 isolates of B. bassiana (BGF14 and BCA32) had the potentials to suppress T. urticae population and can be recommended as promising biocontrol agent candidates for control of T. urticae.

scholarly journals Breeding Strategies to Improve Miscanthus as a Sustainable Source of Biomass for Bioenergy and Biorenewable Products

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 673 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Clifton-Brown ◽  
Kai-Uwe Schwarz ◽  
Danny Awty-Carroll ◽  
Antonella Iurato ◽  
Heike Meyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Eastern Asia ◽  
Germplasm Collections ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Yield Quality ◽  
Short Time ◽  
Commercial Expansion

Miscanthus, a C4 perennial grass native to Eastern Asia, is being bred to provide biomass for bioenergy and biorenewable products. Commercial expansion with the clonal hybrid M. × giganteus is limited by low multiplication rates, high establishment costs and drought sensitivity. These limitations can be overcome by breeding more resilient Miscanthus hybrids propagated by seed. Naturally occurring fast growing indigenous Miscanthus species are found in diverse environments across Eastern Asia. The natural diversity provides for plant breeders, the genetic resources to improve yield, quality, and resilience for a wide range of climates and adverse abiotic stresses. The challenge for Miscanthus breeding is to harness the diversity through selections of outstanding wild types, parents, and progenies over a short time frame to deploy hybrids that make a significant contribution to a world less dependent on fossil resources. Here are described the strategies taken by the Miscanthus breeding programme at Aberystwyth, UK and its partners. The programme built up one of the largest Miscanthus germplasm collections outside Asia. We describe the initial strategies to exploit the available genetic diversity to develop varieties. We illustrate the success of combining diverse Miscanthus germplasm and the selection criteria applied across different environments to identify promising hybrids and to develop these into commercial varieties. We discuss the potential for molecular selections to streamline the breeding process.

Parasites in Antarctic krill guts inferred from DNA sequences

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison C. Cleary ◽  
Maria C. Casas ◽  
Edward G. Durbin ◽  
Jaime Gómez-Gutiérrez
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Dna Analysis ◽  
Antarctic Krill ◽  
Euphausia Superba ◽  
Gut Contents ◽  
The West ◽  
West Antarctic ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractThe keystone role of Antarctic krill,Euphausia superbaDana, in Southern Ocean ecosystems, means it is essential to understand the factors controlling their abundance and secondary production. One such factor that remains poorly known is the role of parasites. A recent study of krill diet using DNA analysis of gut contents provided a snapshot of the parasites present within 170E. superbaguts in a small area along the West Antarctic Peninsula. These parasites includedMetschnikowiaspp. fungi,Haptoglossasp. peronosporomycetes,LankesteriaandParalecudinaspp. apicomplexa,Stegophorussp. nematodes, andPseudocolliniaspp. ciliates. Of these parasites,Metschnikowiaspp. fungi andPseudocolliniaspp. ciliates had previously been observed inE. superba, as had other genera of apicomplexans, though notLankesteriaandParalecudina.In contrast, nematodes had previously only been observed in eggs ofE. superba, and there are no literature reports of peronosporomycetes in euphausiids.Pseudocolliniaspp., parasitoids which obligately kill their host, were the most frequently observed infection, with a prevalence of 12%. The wide range of observed parasites and the relatively high frequency of infections suggest parasites may play a more important role than previously acknowledged inE. superbaecology and population dynamics.

Feeding ecology of Symbolophorus californiensis larvae (Teleostei: Myctophidae) in the southern transition region of the western North Pacific

2009 ◽  
Vol 90 (6) ◽  
pp. 1249-1256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiyuki Sassa
Keyword(s):  
Transition Region ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Larval Growth ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Size Class ◽  
Gut Contents ◽  
Wide Range

The feeding habits of myctophid larvae of Symbolophorus californiensis were examined in the southern transition region of the western North Pacific where the main spawning and nursery grounds of S. californiensis are formed. This species is a key component of the pelagic ecosystems of this region, and their larvae attain one of the largest sizes among myctophids. To analyse gut contents larvae, including most life history stages after yolk-sac absorption (3.7 to 22.2 mm body length (BL)), were collected in the upper 100 m layer in 1997 and 1998. Feeding incidence was higher during the day than at night (53.1–92.3% versus 0–5.6%), and daytime feeding incidence increased gradually with larval growth. Larvae fed mainly on copepods of various developmental stages. Larvae of S. californiensis showed an ontogenetic change in their diet: larvae ≤7.9 mm BL (i.e. preflexion stage) fed mainly on copepod eggs and nauplii, while the larvae ≥8 mm BL consumed mainly calanoid copepodites such as Pseudocalanus and Paracalanus spp. In the largest size-class (16–22.2 mm BL), the furcilia stage of euphausiids was also an important prey item. There was an increase in the average prey size with growth in larvae ≤11.9 mm BL, while the number of prey eaten positively correlated with growth in larvae ≥12 mm BL. The trophic niche breadth also increased with larval growth, which would ensure a wide range of available food resources for the larger size-class larvae.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document