A DNA-based method for identification of krill species and its application to analysing the diet of marine vertebrate predators
Jarman, S.N.; Gales, N.J.; Tierney, M.; Gill, P.C.; Elliott, N.G. (2002). A DNA-based method for identification of krill species and its application to analysing the diet of marine vertebrate predators. Mol. Ecol. 11(12): 2679-2690
In: Molecular Ecology. Blackwell: Oxford. ISSN 0962-1083; e-ISSN 1365-294X, meer
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| Trefwoorden |
Acids > Organic compounds > Organic acids > Nucleic acids > DNA
Analysis > Genetic analysis
Aquatic organisms > Heterotrophic organisms > Predators
Aquatic organisms > Marine organisms > Aquatic birds > Marine birds
Biology > Organism morphology > Animal morphology
Diets
Excretory products > Faecal pellets
Fauna > Aquatic organisms > Aquatic animals > Shellfish > Marine organisms > Marine crustaceans
Feces
Feces
Food webs
Identification
Interspecific relationships > Predation
Methodology
Morphometry
Stomach content
Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758) [WoRMS]; Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda Ichihara, 1966 [WoRMS]; Euphausiacea [WoRMS]; Pygoscelis adeliae (Hombron & Jacquinot, 1841) [WoRMS]
Marien/Kust |
| Auteurs | | Top |
- Jarman, S.N.
- Gales, N.J.
- Tierney, M.
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| Abstract |
Accurate identification of species that are consumed by vertebrate predators is necessary for understanding marine food webs. Morphological methods for identifying prey components after consumption often fail to make accurate identifications of invertebrates because prey morphology becomes damaged during capture, ingestion and digestion. Another disadvantage of morphological methods for prey identification is that they often involve sampling procedures that are disruptive for the predator, such as stomach flushing or lethal collection. We have developed a DNA-based method for identifying species of krill (Crustacea: Malacostraca), an enormously abundant group of invertebrates that are directly consumed by many groups of marine vertebrates. The DNA-based approach allows identification of krill species present in samples of vertebrate stomach contents, vomit, and, more importantly, faeces. Utilizing samples of faeces from vertebrate predators minimizes the impact of dietary studies on the subject animals. We demonstrate our method first on samples of Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) stomach contents, where DNA-based species identification can be confirmed by prey morphology. We then apply the method to faeces of Adelie penguins and to faeces of the endangered pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda). In each of these cases, krill species consumed by the predators could be identified from their DNA present in faeces or stomach contents. |
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