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Bollinger E, Zubrod JP, Englert D, Graf N, Weisner O, Kolb S, Schäfer RB, Entling MH, Schulz R. The influence of season, hunting mode, and habitat specialization on riparian spiders as key predators in the aquatic-terrestrial linkage. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22950. [PMID: 38135811 PMCID: PMC10746743 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50420-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Freshwater ecosystems subsidize riparian zones with high-quality nutrients via the emergence of aquatic insects. Spiders are dominant consumers of these insect subsidies. However, little is known about the variation of aquatic insect consumption across spiders of different hunting modes, habitat specializations, seasons, and systems. To explore this, we assembled a large stable isotope dataset (n > 1000) of aquatic versus terrestrial sources and six spider species over four points in time adjacent to a lotic and a lentic system. The spiders represent three hunting modes each consisting of a wetland specialist and a habitat generalist. We expected that specialists would feed more on aquatic prey than their generalist counterparts. Mixing models showed that spiders' diet consisted of 17-99% of aquatic sources, with no clear effect of habitat specialization. Averaged over the whole study period, web builders (WB) showed the highest proportions (78%) followed by ground hunters (GH, 42%) and vegetation hunters (VH, 31%). Consumption of aquatic prey was highest in June and August, which is most pronounced in GH and WBs, with the latter feeding almost entirely on aquatic sources during this period. Additionally, the elevated importance of high-quality lipids from aquatic origin during fall is indicated by elemental analyses pointing to an accumulation of lipids in October, which represent critical energy reserves during winter. Consequently, this study underlines the importance of aquatic prey irrespective of the habitat specialization of spiders. Furthermore, it suggests that energy flows vary substantially between spider hunting modes and seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Bollinger
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, D-76829, Landau, Germany.
| | - Jochen P Zubrod
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, D-76829, Landau, Germany
- Zubrod Environmental Data Science, Ostring 24a, D-76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Dominic Englert
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, D-76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Nadin Graf
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, D-76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Oliver Weisner
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, D-76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kolb
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, D-76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Ralf B Schäfer
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, D-76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Martin H Entling
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, D-76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Ralf Schulz
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, D-76829, Landau, Germany
- Eußerthal Ecosystem Research Station, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Birkenthalstraße 13, D-76857, Eußerthal, Germany
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2
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Hambäck PA, Cirtwill AR, Grudzinska‐Sterno M, Hoffmann A, Langbak M, Åhlén D. Species composition of shoreline wolf spider communities vary with salinity, but their diets vary with wrack inflow. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9701. [PMID: 36590338 PMCID: PMC9797640 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolf spiders are typically the most common group of arthropod predators on both lake and marine shorelines because of the high prey availability in these habitats. However, shores are also harsh environments due to flooding and, in proximity to marine waters, to toxic salinity levels. Here, we describe the spider community, prey availabilities, and spider diets between shoreline sites with different salinities, albeit with comparatively small differences (5‰ vs. 7‰). Despite the small environmental differences, spider communities between lower and higher saline sites showed an almost complete species turnover. At the same time, differences in prey availability or spider gut contents did not match changes in spider species composition but rather changed with habitat characteristics within a region, where spiders collected at sites with thick wrack beds had a different diet than sites with little wrack. These data suggest that shifts in spider communities are due to habitat characteristics other than prey availabilities, and the most likely candidate restricting species in high salinity would be saline sensitivity. At the same time, species absence from low-saline habitats remains unresolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A. Hambäck
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Alyssa R. Cirtwill
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | | | - Alexander Hoffmann
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Marie Langbak
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - David Åhlén
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
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3
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Rinke M, Bendisch PM, Maraun M, Scheu S. Trophic structure and origin of resources of soil macrofauna in the salt marsh of the Wadden Sea: a stable isotope ( 15N, 13C) study. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:85. [PMID: 35761170 PMCID: PMC9235187 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02039-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Salt marshes exist along the gradient of the marine mudflat to the terrestrial dunes, with a gradient of shore height and associated plant zonation. The lower salt marsh (LSM) extends from the mean high tidal level to 35 cm above that level and is followed by the upper salt marsh (USM). Despite changes in the amount of allochthonous marine input and in abiotic conditions, little is known about changes in the trophic structure and used of basal resources by the soil macrofauna along marine-terrestrial boundaries. Natural variations in carbon stable isotope ratios (δ13C signatures) allow insight into basal resources of consumers such as marine algae, terrestrial C3 and C4 photosynthesising plants. Furthermore, variations in nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ15N signatures) allow insight into the trophic position of consumers. We investigated spatial and temporal changes in stable isotope signatures in salt marsh soil macrofauna of the island of Spiekeroog, German Wadden Sea. The range of δ15N signatures indicated no changes in food chain length across salt marsh zones with consumers in both zones comprising primary decomposers, secondary decomposers and first order predators. However, the trophic position of individual species changed between zones, but in particular with season. Contrasting δ15N signatures, the range in δ13C signatures in the LSM was twice that in the USM indicating a wider range of resources consumed. Bayesian mixing models indicated predominant autochthonous resource use in both the LSM and USM, with the use of marine allochthonous resources never exceeding 29.6%. However, the models also indicate an increase in the use of marine resources in certain species in the LSM with no use in the USM. Overall, the results indicate that the resource use of salt marsh macrofauna varies more in space than in time, with the food web being generally based on autochthonous rather than allochthonous resources. However, there also is trophic plasticity in certain species across both temporal and spatial scales including variations in the use of allochthonous resources. Generally, however, marine input contributes little to the nutrition of salt marsh soil macroinvertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Rinke
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Animal Ecology, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Philipp M. Bendisch
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Animal Ecology, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mark Maraun
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Animal Ecology, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Scheu
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Animal Ecology, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
- University of Göttingen, Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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4
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Marker J, Lafage D, Bergman E, Bowes RE. Greater than the sum of your parts: Nonlethal stable isotope sampling methods in spiders. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffery Marker
- Department of Environmental and Life Sciences Karlstad University Karlstad Sweden
| | - Denis Lafage
- Department of Environmental and Life Sciences Karlstad University Karlstad Sweden
- UMR Ecobio, Université de Rennes Rennes Cedex France
| | - Eva Bergman
- Department of Environmental and Life Sciences Karlstad University Karlstad Sweden
| | - Rachel E. Bowes
- Department of Environmental and Life Sciences Karlstad University Karlstad Sweden
- Department of Biological Sciences Emporia State University Emporia Kansas USA
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5
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Potapov AM, Beaulieu F, Birkhofer K, Bluhm SL, Degtyarev MI, Devetter M, Goncharov AA, Gongalsky KB, Klarner B, Korobushkin DI, Liebke DF, Maraun M, Mc Donnell RJ, Pollierer MM, Schaefer I, Shrubovych J, Semenyuk II, Sendra A, Tuma J, Tůmová M, Vassilieva AB, Chen T, Geisen S, Schmidt O, Tiunov AV, Scheu S. Feeding habits and multifunctional classification of soil‐associated consumers from protists to vertebrates. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1057-1117. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anton M. Potapov
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology University of Göttingen Untere Karspüle 2 37073 Göttingen Germany
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences Leninsky Prospect 33 119071 Moscow Russia
| | - Frédéric Beaulieu
- Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes, Agriculture and Agri‐Food Canada Ottawa ON K1A 0C6 Canada
| | - Klaus Birkhofer
- Department of Ecology Brandenburg University of Technology Karl‐Wachsmann‐Allee 6 03046 Cottbus Germany
| | - Sarah L. Bluhm
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology University of Göttingen Untere Karspüle 2 37073 Göttingen Germany
| | - Maxim I. Degtyarev
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences Leninsky Prospect 33 119071 Moscow Russia
| | - Miloslav Devetter
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Soil Biology Na Sádkách 702/7 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - Anton A. Goncharov
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences Leninsky Prospect 33 119071 Moscow Russia
| | - Konstantin B. Gongalsky
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences Leninsky Prospect 33 119071 Moscow Russia
| | - Bernhard Klarner
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology University of Göttingen Untere Karspüle 2 37073 Göttingen Germany
| | - Daniil I. Korobushkin
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences Leninsky Prospect 33 119071 Moscow Russia
| | - Dana F. Liebke
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology University of Göttingen Untere Karspüle 2 37073 Göttingen Germany
| | - Mark Maraun
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology University of Göttingen Untere Karspüle 2 37073 Göttingen Germany
| | - Rory J. Mc Donnell
- Department of Crop and Soil Science Oregon State University Corvallis OR 97331 U.S.A
| | - Melanie M. Pollierer
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology University of Göttingen Untere Karspüle 2 37073 Göttingen Germany
| | - Ina Schaefer
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology University of Göttingen Untere Karspüle 2 37073 Göttingen Germany
| | - Julia Shrubovych
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Soil Biology Na Sádkách 702/7 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals PAS Slawkowska 17 Pl 31‐016 Krakow Poland
- State Museum Natural History of NAS of Ukraine Teatralna 18 79008 Lviv Ukraine
| | - Irina I. Semenyuk
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences Leninsky Prospect 33 119071 Moscow Russia
- Joint Russian‐Vietnamese Tropical Center №3 Street 3 Thang 2, Q10 Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam
| | - Alberto Sendra
- Colecciones Entomológicas Torres‐Sala, Servei de Patrimoni Històric, Ajuntament de València València Spain
- Departament de Didàctica de les Cièncias Experimentals i Socials, Facultat de Magisteri Universitat de València València Spain
| | - Jiri Tuma
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Soil Biology Na Sádkách 702/7 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Entomology Branisovska 1160/31 370 05 Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
| | - Michala Tůmová
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Soil Biology Na Sádkách 702/7 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - Anna B. Vassilieva
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences Leninsky Prospect 33 119071 Moscow Russia
| | - Ting‐Wen Chen
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Soil Biology Na Sádkách 702/7 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - Stefan Geisen
- Department of Nematology Wageningen University & Research 6700ES Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Olaf Schmidt
- UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science University College Dublin Belfield Dublin 4 Ireland
| | - Alexei V. Tiunov
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences Leninsky Prospect 33 119071 Moscow Russia
| | - Stefan Scheu
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology University of Göttingen Untere Karspüle 2 37073 Göttingen Germany
- Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use Büsgenweg 1 37077 Göttingen Germany
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6
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Liu G, Zhang S, Zhao X, Li C, Gong M. Advances and Limitations of Next Generation Sequencing in Animal Diet Analysis. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12121854. [PMID: 34946803 PMCID: PMC8701983 DOI: 10.3390/genes12121854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Diet analysis is a critical content of animal ecology and the diet analysis methods have been constantly improving and updating. Contrary to traditional methods of high labor intensity and low resolution, the next generation sequencing (NGS) approach has been suggested as a promising tool for dietary studies, which greatly improves the efficiency and broadens the application range. Here we present a framework of adopting NGS and DNA metabarcoding into diet analysis, and discuss the application in aspects of prey taxa composition and structure, intra-specific and inter-specific trophic links, and the effects of animal feeding on environmental changes. Yet, the generation of NGS-based diet data and subsequent analyses and interpretations are still challenging with several factors, making it possible still not as widely used as might be expected. We suggest that NGS-based diet methods must be furthered, analytical pipelines should be developed. More application perspectives, including nutrient geometry, metagenomics and nutrigenomics, need to be incorporated to encourage more ecologists to infer novel insights on they work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecological Function and Restoration in Beijing City, Wetland Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100091, China; (G.L.); (X.Z.); (C.L.)
| | - Shumiao Zhang
- Beijing Milu Ecological Research Center, Beijing 100076, China;
| | - Xinsheng Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecological Function and Restoration in Beijing City, Wetland Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100091, China; (G.L.); (X.Z.); (C.L.)
| | - Chao Li
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecological Function and Restoration in Beijing City, Wetland Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100091, China; (G.L.); (X.Z.); (C.L.)
| | - Minghao Gong
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecological Function and Restoration in Beijing City, Wetland Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100091, China; (G.L.); (X.Z.); (C.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-010-62884159
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7
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Potapov AM, Pollierer MM, Salmon S, Šustr V, Chen T. Multidimensional trophic niche revealed by complementary approaches: Gut content, digestive enzymes, fatty acids and stable isotopes in Collembola. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:1919-1933. [PMID: 33914342 PMCID: PMC8453724 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Trophic niche differentiation may explain coexistence and shape functional roles of species. In complex natural food webs, however, trophic niche parameters depicted by single and isolated methods may simplify the multidimensional nature of consumer trophic niches, which includes feeding processes such as food choice, ingestion, digestion, assimilation and retention. Here we explore the correlation and complementarity of trophic niche parameters tackled by four complementary methodological approaches, that is, visual gut content, digestive enzyme, fatty acid and stable isotope analyses-each assessing one or few feeding processes, and demonstrate the power of method combination. Focusing on soil ecosystems, where many omnivore species with cryptic feeding habits coexist, we chose Collembola as an example. We compiled 15 key trophic niche parameters for 125 species from 40 studies. We assessed correlations among trophic niche parameters and described variation of these parameters in different Collembola species, families and across life-forms, which represent microhabitat specialisation. Correlation between trophic niche parameters was weak in 45 out of 64 pairwise comparisons, pointing at complementarity of the four methods. Jointly, the results indicated that fungal- and plant-feeding Collembola assimilate storage, rather than structural polysaccharides, and suggested bacterial feeding as a potential alternative feeding strategy. Gut content and fatty acid analyses suggested alignment between ingestion and assimilation/retention processes in fungal- and plant-feeding Collembola. From the 15 trophic niche parameters, six were related to Collembola family identity, suggesting that not all trophic niche dimensions are phylogenetically structured. Only three parameters were related to the life-forms, suggesting that species use various feeding strategies when living in the same microenvironments. Consumers can meet their nutritional needs by varying their food choices, ingestion and digestion strategies, with the connection among different feeding processes being dependent on the consumed resource and consumer adaptations. Multiple methods reveal different dimensions, together drawing a comprehensive picture of the trophic niche. Future studies applying the multidimensional trophic niche approach will allow us to trace trophic complexity and reveal niche partitioning of omnivorous species and their functional roles, especially in cryptic environments such as soils, caves, deep ocean or benthic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton M. Potapov
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and EvolutionRussian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and AnthropologyUniversity of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Melanie M. Pollierer
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and AnthropologyUniversity of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Sandrine Salmon
- Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleDépartement Adaptations du VivantUMR 7179 MECADEVBrunoyFrance
| | - Vladimír Šustr
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of SciencesInstitute of Soil BiologyČeské BudějoviceCzech Republic
| | - Ting‐Wen Chen
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of SciencesInstitute of Soil BiologyČeské BudějoviceCzech Republic
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8
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Vasquez AA, Mohiddin O, Li Z, Bonnici BL, Gurdziel K, Ram JL. Molecular diet studies of water mites reveal prey biodiversity. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254598. [PMID: 34324525 PMCID: PMC8321515 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Water mites are diverse aquatic invertebrates that provide potentially important ecosystem and economic services as bioindicators and mosquito biocontrol; however, little is known about water mite digestive physiology, including their diet in nature. Water mites, much like their spider relatives, liquefy their prey upon consumption. This results in the absence of morphologically identifiable prey in water mite mid-gut. Previous studies have reported associations in the field of water mites with presumed prey and laboratory observations of water mites feeding on specific organisms offered for ingestion; however, the present work aims to determine what water mites have ingested in nature based on molecular studies of gut contents from freshly collected organisms from the field. To elucidate water mite prey, we used next-generation sequencing to detect diverse cytochrome oxidase I DNA barcode sequences of putative prey in the guts of 54 specimens comprising two species of Lebertia and a few specimens of Arrenurus (2) and Limnesia (1). To our knowledge this is the first molecular study of the diets of water mites as they feed in nature. While the presence of chironomid DNA confirmed previous observations of midge larvae as part of the diets of Lebertia, we also found the DNA of diverse organisms in all four species of water mites, including the DNA of mosquitoes in 6 specimens of Lebertia and a large number of previously unknown prey, especially from oligochaete worms. These studies thereby reveal a greater diversity of prey and a potentially broader significance than previously appreciated for water mites in aquatic food webs. Molecular studies like this can detect water mite predators of mosquito larvae and add knowledge of water mite predatory contributions to freshwater food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian A. Vasquez
- Healthy Urban Waters, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
- Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Obadeh Mohiddin
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Zeyu Li
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Brittany L. Bonnici
- Healthy Urban Waters, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Katherine Gurdziel
- Genome Sciences Core, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey L. Ram
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
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Sierra Ramírez D, Guevara G, Franco Pérez LM, van der Meijden A, González‐Gómez JC, Carlos Valenzuela‐Rojas J, Prada Quiroga CF. Deciphering the diet of a wandering spider ( Phoneutria boliviensis; Araneae: Ctenidae) by DNA metabarcoding of gut contents. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5950-5965. [PMID: 34141195 PMCID: PMC8207164 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Arachnids are the most abundant land predators. Despite the importance of their functional roles as predators and the necessity to understand their diet for conservation, the trophic ecology of many arachnid species has not been sufficiently studied. In the case of the wandering spider, Phoneutria boliviensis F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897, only field and laboratory observational studies on their diet exist. By using a DNA metabarcoding approach, we compared the prey found in the gut content of males and females from three distant Colombian populations of P. boliviensis. By DNA metabarcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), we detected and identified 234 prey items (individual captured by the spider) belonging to 96 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), as prey for this wandering predator. Our results broaden the known diet of P. boliviensis with at least 75 prey taxa not previously registered in fieldwork or laboratory experimental trials. These results suggest that P. boliviensis feeds predominantly on invertebrates (Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Orthoptera) and opportunistically on small squamates. Intersex and interpopulation differences were also observed. Assuming that prey preference does not vary between populations, these differences are likely associated with a higher local prey availability. Finally, we suggest that DNA metabarcoding can be used for evaluating subtle differences in the diet of distinct populations of P. boliviensis, particularly when predation records in the field cannot be established or quantified using direct observation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Sierra Ramírez
- Grupo de Investigación Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos (BEA)Corporación HuilturNeiva, Facultad de CienciasUniversidad del TolimaIbaguéColombia
| | - Giovany Guevara
- Grupo de Investigación en Zoología (GIZ)Facultad de CienciasUniversidad del TolimaIbaguéColombia
| | | | - Arie van der Meijden
- Grupo de Investigación Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos (BEA)Corporación HuilturNeiva, Facultad de CienciasUniversidad del TolimaIbaguéColombia
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic ResourcesInBIOUniversidade do PortoVairãoVila do CondePortugal
| | - Julio César González‐Gómez
- Grupo de Investigación Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos (BEA)Corporación HuilturNeiva, Facultad de CienciasUniversidad del TolimaIbaguéColombia
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y MatemáticasUniversidad de IbaguéIbaguéColombia
| | - Juan Carlos Valenzuela‐Rojas
- Grupo de Investigación Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos (BEA)Corporación HuilturNeiva, Facultad de CienciasUniversidad del TolimaIbaguéColombia
- Programa de Licenciatura en Ciencias Naturales y Educación AmbientalFacultad de EducaciónUniversidad SurcolombianaNeivaColombia
| | - Carlos Fernando Prada Quiroga
- Grupo de Investigación Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos (BEA)Corporación HuilturNeiva, Facultad de CienciasUniversidad del TolimaIbaguéColombia
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10
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Tercel MPTG, Symondson WOC, Cuff JP. The problem of omnivory: A synthesis on omnivory and DNA metabarcoding. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:2199-2206. [PMID: 33772967 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Dietary analysis using DNA metabarcoding is a powerful tool that is increasingly being used to further our knowledge of trophic interactions in highly complex food webs but is not without limitations. Omnivores, the most generalist of consumers, pose unique challenges when using such methods. Here, we provide the rationale to understand the problems associated with analysing the complex diets of omnivores. By reviewing existing metabarcoding studies of omnivorous diet, and constructing hypothetical scenarios arising from each, we outline that great caution is required when interpreting sequencing data in such cases. In essence, the problems of accidental consumption and secondary ingestion are significant sources of error when investigating omnivorous diets. The integration of multiple high throughput sequencing markers increases the taxonomic breadth of taxa detected but we reveal how some detections may be misleading. Disentangling which taxa have been deliberately or accidentally consumed by the focal omnivore is challenging and can falsely emphasise those that were not intentionally consumed, obscuring biologically meaningful interactions. Although we suggest ways to disentangle these issues, we urge that the results of such analyses should be interpreted with caution and all possible scenarios for the presence of biota within omnivores given due consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximillian P T G Tercel
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK.,Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Trinity, Jersey, Channel Islands
| | | | - Jordan P Cuff
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK.,Rothamsted Insect Survey, Rothamsted Research, West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, UK
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11
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Bunn DC, Dias de Oliveira E, Springborn F, Gonzalez-Meler MA, Miller N. Contribution of Larvae Developing on Corn and Dry Beans to the Adult Population of Western Bean Cutworm in Michigan. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 50:232-237. [PMID: 33205188 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvaa135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The western bean cutworm, Striacosta albicosta (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is historically a pest of both corn (Zea mays L. (Poales: Poaceae)) and dry beans (Phaseolus sp. L. (Fabales: Fabaceae)) in the western Great Plains. However, it has recently undergone an eastward range expansion establishing itself across the Corn Belt in 25 states and 4 Canadian provinces. To mitigate the effects of infestation in Michigan, foliar insecticides are used in dry beans, whereas management of the pest in corn relies more heavily on the use of Bt-expressing hybrids. In this study stable carbon isotope analysis was used to determine what crop adult moths developed on as larvae with analysis showing that very few of the adult moths developed on dry beans. These results suggest that beans and corn are not suitable as co-refuges and that mainly adults which developed on corn are contributing to the next generation of western bean cutworm in Michigan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dakota C Bunn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
| | - Eduardo Dias de Oliveira
- Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | | | - Miquel A Gonzalez-Meler
- Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Nicholas Miller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
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12
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Hunt JL, Paterson H, Close P, Pettit NE. Riparian condition influences spider community structure and the contribution of aquatic carbon subsidies to terrestrial habitats. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 746:141109. [PMID: 32763604 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Degradation of riparian zones can alter aquatic and terrestrial communities of flora and fauna and disrupt their role in assimilating and mobilising carbon between the two ecosystems. Riparian spiders that predate on emergent aquatic invertebrates can contribute to carbon flux and the structure of aquatic and riparian food webs. The impact of riparian degradation on spiders in temperate rivers of Australia and their role in this broader ecosystem function is poorly understood. We surveyed the riparian zone of four rivers of south-western Australia in areas of natural intact vegetation and degraded agricultural land to explore whether riparian spider abundance, and diversity may be affected by changes to riparian condition. We also assessed the impact of the riparian condition on carbon fluxes between aquatic and terrestrial environments, using stable isotope analysis. We found overall abundance of riparian spiders was higher in degraded agricultural sites compared to natural intact sites and the structure of spider assemblages was different. Orb-weaver spiders (Araneidae and Tetragnathidae) were found to be more abundant in agricultural areas where canopy cover and understory are sparse as a result of livestock grazing and trampling. The contribution of carbon from aquatic invertebrates in a natural intact site was 48.5% for Orb-weavers and 41.6% for Cursorial Hunter spiders but reduced to 19.6% and 39.9% respectively in a degraded agricultural site. These results suggest that the position of spiders in riparian food webs and the amount of aquatic subsidy may change according to the condition and complexity of the riparian zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie-Lee Hunt
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, Albany, WA 6330, Australia
| | - Harriet Paterson
- Oceans Institute and School of Agriculture and the Environment, University of Western Australia, Albany, WA 6330, Australia
| | - Paul Close
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, Albany, WA 6330, Australia
| | - Neil E Pettit
- Ecosystem Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
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13
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Kennedy SR, Prost S, Overcast I, Rominger AJ, Gillespie RG, Krehenwinkel H. High-throughput sequencing for community analysis: the promise of DNA barcoding to uncover diversity, relatedness, abundances and interactions in spider communities. Dev Genes Evol 2020; 230:185-201. [PMID: 32040713 PMCID: PMC7127999 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-020-00652-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale studies on community ecology are highly desirable but often difficult to accomplish due to the considerable investment of time, labor and, money required to characterize richness, abundance, relatedness, and interactions. Nonetheless, such large-scale perspectives are necessary for understanding the composition, dynamics, and resilience of biological communities. Small invertebrates play a central role in ecosystems, occupying critical positions in the food web and performing a broad variety of ecological functions. However, it has been particularly difficult to adequately characterize communities of these animals because of their exceptionally high diversity and abundance. Spiders in particular fulfill key roles as both predator and prey in terrestrial food webs and are hence an important focus of ecological studies. In recent years, large-scale community analyses have benefitted tremendously from advances in DNA barcoding technology. High-throughput sequencing (HTS), particularly DNA metabarcoding, enables community-wide analyses of diversity and interactions at unprecedented scales and at a fraction of the cost that was previously possible. Here, we review the current state of the application of these technologies to the analysis of spider communities. We discuss amplicon-based DNA barcoding and metabarcoding for the analysis of community diversity and molecular gut content analysis for assessing predator-prey relationships. We also highlight applications of the third generation sequencing technology for long read and portable DNA barcoding. We then address the development of theoretical frameworks for community-level studies, and finally highlight critical gaps and future directions for DNA analysis of spider communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan R Kennedy
- Biodiversity and Biocomplexity Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Onna, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Stefan Prost
- LOEWE-Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt, Germany
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Isaac Overcast
- Graduate Center of the City University New York, New York, NY, USA
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
| | | | - Rosemary G Gillespie
- Environmental Sciences Policy and Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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14
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Radermacher N, Hartke TR, Villareal S, Scheu S. Spiders in rice-paddy ecosystems shift from aquatic to terrestrial prey and use carbon pools of different origin. Oecologia 2020; 192:801-812. [PMID: 32002648 PMCID: PMC7058567 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04601-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Spiders are important bio-control agents of rice insect pests such as plant- and leafhoppers. To investigate temporal changes in spider prey and variations in prey due to landscape structure around rice fields, carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes of rice field arthropods were analysed over three consecutive sampling dates during the rice cropping season. Initial isotope composition of gnats and midges emerging from submersed rice fields indicates a larval algae diet, while later values suggest a switch to rice-derived carbon. Initial δ13C values of plant- and leafhoppers were higher in fields of rice-heterogeneous landscapes, indicating migration from source populations feeding on C4 grasses into rice fields; later, their δ13C values approached those of rice. Isotope values of web-building and cursorial spiders in the earliest samples indicate aquatic gnat and midge prey. The later shift toward terrestrial herbivore prey was more pronounced for small than for larger species and in rice paddies near permanent vegetation, indicating use of prey from the surrounding landscape. The results suggest that rice field spiders are supported by three different carbon pools: (1) aquatic carbon originating from algae and (2) legacy carbon from previous growing cycles, both incorporated via between-season predation on gnats and midges, and (3) carbon from the current rice season incorporated via herbivore prey. In conclusion, fostering aquatic midge and gnat larvae, e.g. via mulching, and integrating rice fields into rice-heterogeneous landscapes likely strengthens biological control of pest species in rice paddies by supporting high populations of spiders between cropping seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico Radermacher
- J. F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Tamara R Hartke
- J. F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sylvia Villareal
- Crop and Environmental Sciences Division, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Los Baños, Philippines
| | - Stefan Scheu
- J. F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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15
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Ziegler SL, Able KW, Fodrie FJ. Dietary shifts across biogeographic scales alter spatial subsidy dynamics. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shelby L. Ziegler
- Institute of Marine Sciences University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Morehead City North Carolina 28557 USA
| | - Kenneth W. Able
- Rutgers University Marine Field Station Rutgers University Tuckerton New Jersey 08087 USA
| | - F. Joel Fodrie
- Institute of Marine Sciences University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Morehead City North Carolina 28557 USA
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16
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Majdi N, Hette-Tronquart N, Auclair E, Bec A, Chouvelon T, Cognie B, Danger M, Decottignies P, Dessier A, Desvilettes C, Dubois S, Dupuy C, Fritsch C, Gaucherel C, Hedde M, Jabot F, Lefebvre S, Marzloff MP, Pey B, Peyrard N, Powolny T, Sabbadin R, Thébault E, Perga ME. There's no harm in having too much: A comprehensive toolbox of methods in trophic ecology. FOOD WEBS 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2018.e00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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17
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Verschut V, Strandmark A, Esparza-Salas R, Hambäck PA. Seasonally varying marine influences on the coastal ecosystem detected through molecular gut analysis. Mol Ecol 2018; 28:307-317. [PMID: 30084518 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial predators on marine shores benefit from the inflow of organisms and matter from the marine ecosystem, often causing very high predator densities and indirectly affecting the abundance of other prey species on shores. This indirect effect may be particularly strong if predators shift diets between seasons. We therefore quantified the seasonal variation in diet of two wolf spider species that dominate the shoreline predator community, using molecular gut content analyses with general primers to detect the full prey range. Across the season, spider diets changed, with predominantly terrestrial prey from May until July and predominantly marine prey (mainly chironomids) from August until October. This pattern coincided with a change in the spider age and size structure, and prey abundance data and resource selection analyses suggest that the higher consumption of chironomids during autumn is due to an ontogenetic diet shift rather than to variation in prey abundance. The analyses suggested that small dipterans with a weak flight capacity, such as Chironomidae, Sphaeroceridae, Scatopsidae and Ephydridae, were overrepresented in the gut of small juvenile spiders during autumn, whereas larger, more robust prey, such as Lepidoptera, Anthomyidae and Dolichopodidae, were overrepresented in the diet of adult spiders during spring. The effect of the inflow may be that the survival and growth of juvenile spiders is higher in areas with high chironomid abundances, leading to higher densities of adult spiders and higher predation rates on the terrestrial prey next spring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliki Verschut
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alma Strandmark
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rodrigo Esparza-Salas
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter A Hambäck
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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18
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Zhong W, Tan Z, Wang B, Yan H. Next-generation sequencing analysis of Pardosa pseudoannulata's diet composition in different habitats. Saudi J Biol Sci 2018; 26:165-172. [PMID: 30622422 PMCID: PMC6319085 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2018.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Spiders are the most common and predominant predators in terrestrial ecosystems. The predatory behavior of spiders affects the energy flow across the food web within an ecosystem. Traditiaonal methods for analyzing spider diets such as field observation, anatomy and faeces analysis are not suitable for spider experiments due to spiders’ special dietary behavior. The molecular method based on the specific primers of prey DNA seems to be inefficient either in spite of its wide application in diet analysis. As the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology becomes prevalent in many different areas, several cases of the NGS-based analysis of mammal diets have been published. This study analyzed the diet differences of Pardosa pseudoannulata (Araneae: Lycosidae) in four habitats (a wetland, a tea plantation, an alpine meadow and a paddy field) by using the NGS technology, combined with the DNA barcode method. The results suggested that the Pardosa pseudoannulata feed on a broad range of prey, and 7 orders and 24 families of insects were detected in the four investigated habitats. Moreover, it is found that the diet diversity of Pardosa pseudoannulata is greatly influenced by their living environments and seasons. In a nutshell, this study established an NGS-based methodology for spider diets analysis, and the results provided some basic materials to inform the protection and utilization of the Pardosa pseudoannulata as a potential eco-friendly predator against pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Zhong
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
- Testing Institute of Product and Commodity Supervision, Changsha 410007, Hunan, China
| | - Zhaojun Tan
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
- Dongkou No.1 Middle School, Dongkou 422300, Hunan, China
| | - Bo Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
- College of Engineering and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai 519087, Guangdong, China
| | - Hengmei Yan
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
- College of Engineering and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai 519087, Guangdong, China
- Corresponding author at: College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China.
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19
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Nielsen JM, Clare EL, Hayden B, Brett MT, Kratina P. Diet tracing in ecology: Method comparison and selection. Methods Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jens M. Nielsen
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Elizabeth L. Clare
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Brian Hayden
- Canadian Rivers InstituteBiology DepartmentUniversity of New Brunswick Fredericton NB Canada
| | - Michael T. Brett
- Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringUniversity of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - Pavel Kratina
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of London London UK
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20
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Hambäck PA, Weingartner E, Dalén L, Wirta H, Roslin T. Spatial subsidies in spider diets vary with shoreline structure: Complementary evidence from molecular diet analysis and stable isotopes. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:8431-8439. [PMID: 28031795 PMCID: PMC5167037 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflow of matter and organisms may strongly affect the local density and diversity of organisms. This effect is particularly evident on shores where organisms with aquatic larval stages enter the terrestrial food web. The identities of such trophic links are not easily estimated as spiders, a dominant group of shoreline predator, have external digestion. We compared trophic links and the prey diversity of spiders on different shore types along the Baltic Sea: on open shores and on shores with a reed belt bordering the water. A priori, we hypothesized that the physical structure of the shoreline reduces the flow between ecosystem and the subsidies across the sea-land interface. To circumvent the lack of morphologically detectable remains of spider prey, we used a combination of stable isotope and molecular gut content analyses. The two tools used for diet analysis revealed complementary information on spider diets. The stable isotope analysis indicated that spiders on open shores had a marine signal of carbon isotopes, while spiders on reedy shores had a terrestrial signal. The molecular analysis revealed a diverse array of dipteran and lepidopteran prey, where spiders on open and reedy shores shared a similar diet with a comparable proportion of chironomids, the larvae of which live in the marine system. Comparing the methods suggests that differences in isotope composition of the two spider groups occurred because of differences in the chironomid diets: as larvae, chironomids of reedy shores likely fed on terrestrial detritus and acquired a terrestrial isotope signature, while chironomids of open shores utilized an algal diet and acquired a marine isotope signature. Our results illustrate how different methods of diet reconstruction may shed light on complementary aspects of nutrient transfer. Overall, they reveal that reed belts can reduce connectivity between habitats, but also function as a source of food for predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Hambäck
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plants Sciences Stockholm University Stockholm Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Weingartner
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plants Sciences Stockholm University Stockholm Sweden
| | - Love Dalén
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics Swedish Museum of Natural History Stockholm Sweden
| | - Helena Wirta
- Department of Agricultural Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Tomas Roslin
- Department of Agricultural Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland; Department of Ecology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Sweden
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