DNA metabarcoding reveals limited consumption of livestock and black rhinoceros by spotted hyenas in a prey-rich environment

Author:

Dheer ArjunORCID,Danabalan Renita,Pellizzone Antonia,Davidian EveORCID,Naman Philemon,Mazzoni Camila,Höner Oliver P.ORCID

Abstract

AbstractThe diet of large carnivores is of great interest to conservation managers, as it can reveal the extent of human-carnivore conflict and the impact of carnivores on species of high conservation priority. Metabarcoding of environmental DNA can identify species and is often more reliable in doing so than observational or morphological methods. Metabarcoding is particularly powerful at detecting elusive and rare species and has therefore become a widely applied tool in biodiversity research. Here, we used DNA metabarcoding of fecal samples to determine the diet of spotted hyenas in the Ngorongoro Crater, a protected area in Northern Tanzania surrounded by areas co-inhabited by pastoralists. We assessed which species hyenas preferably consumed over a 24-year period and how frequently they consumed pastoralist livestock and black rhinoceros, a species of high economic value and conservation priority. We further estimated the effects of three key socio-demographic variables – age, social rank, and sex – on the propensity of hyenas to consume livestock. We detected DNA from 20 species in 371 hyena feces. Hyenas preferably consumed blue wildebeest and Grant’s gazelle. Among the detected species were five domestic species and one wild species that lived in the pastoralist-inhabited areas but not the Crater. This shows that resident Crater hyenas undertake foraging trips to areas surrounding the Crater. DNA of domestic species however was rarely detected (4.1% of 434 detections), and predominantly in feces of old hyenas. This suggests that Crater hyenas rarely consume livestock and that livestock is mostly consumed by hyenas less capable of hunting fleet-footed and powerful wild prey. No DNA of black rhinoceros was detected in any of the samples, suggesting that Crater hyenas do not frequently consume rhinoceros. Our findings suggest that the impact of Crater hyenas on livestock and wildlife of high conservation priority is limited. Our study highlights the potential of DNA metabarcoding to assess the extent of human-carnivore conflict and to guide evidence-based conservation efforts to promote coexistence of carnivores, humans and species of high conservation priority.

Publisher

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3