Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Highly overlapping diet in two sympatric lemming species during winter revealed by DNA metabarcoding. / Soininen, E.M.; Gauthier, G.; Bilodeau, F.; Berteaux, D.; Gielly, L.; Taberlet, P.; Gussarova, G.; Bellemain, E.; Hassel, K.; Sten ien, H.K.; Epp, L.; Schr der-Nielsen, A.; Brochmann, C.; Yoccoz, N.G.
In: PLoS ONE, Vol. 10, No. 1, e0115335, 2015.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Highly overlapping diet in two sympatric lemming species during winter revealed by DNA metabarcoding.
AU - Soininen, E.M.
AU - Gauthier, G.
AU - Bilodeau, F.
AU - Berteaux, D.
AU - Gielly, L.
AU - Taberlet, P.
AU - Gussarova, G.
AU - Bellemain, E.
AU - Hassel, K.
AU - Sten ien, H.K.
AU - Epp, L.
AU - Schr der-Nielsen, A.
AU - Brochmann, C.
AU - Yoccoz, N.G.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - © 2015 Soininen et al.Sympatric species are expected to minimize competition by partitioning resources, especially when these are limited. Herbivores inhabiting the High Arctic in winter are a prime example of a situation where food availability is anticipated to be low, and thus reduced diet overlap is expected. We present here the first assessment of diet overlap of high arctic lemmings during winter based on DNA metabarcoding of feces. In contrast to previous analyses based on microhistology, we found that the diets of both collared (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus) and brown lemmings (Lemmus trimucronatus) on Bylot Island were dominated by Salix while mosses, which were significantly consumed only by the brown lemming, were a relatively minor food item. The most abundant plant taxon, Cassiope tetragona, which alone composes more than 50% of the available plant biomass, was not detected in feces and can thus be considered to be non-food. Most plant taxa that were identified as food items were consumed in proport
AB - © 2015 Soininen et al.Sympatric species are expected to minimize competition by partitioning resources, especially when these are limited. Herbivores inhabiting the High Arctic in winter are a prime example of a situation where food availability is anticipated to be low, and thus reduced diet overlap is expected. We present here the first assessment of diet overlap of high arctic lemmings during winter based on DNA metabarcoding of feces. In contrast to previous analyses based on microhistology, we found that the diets of both collared (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus) and brown lemmings (Lemmus trimucronatus) on Bylot Island were dominated by Salix while mosses, which were significantly consumed only by the brown lemming, were a relatively minor food item. The most abundant plant taxon, Cassiope tetragona, which alone composes more than 50% of the available plant biomass, was not detected in feces and can thus be considered to be non-food. Most plant taxa that were identified as food items were consumed in proport
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0115335
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0115335
M3 - Article
VL - 10
JO - PLoS ONE
JF - PLoS ONE
SN - 1932-6203
IS - 1
M1 - e0115335
ER -
ID: 4002728