Abstract
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 1-9 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of Animal Science and Technology |
Volume | 56 |
Issue number | 16 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2014 |
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Keywords
- Gas chromatography
- Inferring diet
- Predation
- Principal components analysis (PCA)
- Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA)
- River otter (Lontra canadensis)
- analysis
- gas chromatography
- inferring diet
- lontra canadensis
- pca
- predation
- principal components analysis
- qfasa
- quantitative fatty acid signature
- river otter
Cite this
Fatty acid analysis as a tool to infer the diet in Illinois river otters (Lontra canadensis). / Satterthwaite-Phillips, Damian; Novakofski, Jan; Mateus-Pinilla, Nohra.
In: Journal of Animal Science and Technology, Vol. 56, No. 16, 2014, p. 1-9.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Fatty acid analysis as a tool to infer the diet in Illinois river otters (Lontra canadensis)
AU - Satterthwaite-Phillips, Damian
AU - Novakofski, Jan
AU - Mateus-Pinilla, Nohra
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Fatty acids (FA) have recently been used in several studies to infer the diet in a number of species. While these studies have been largely successful, most have dealt with predators that have a fairly specialized diet. In this paper, we used FA analysis as a tool to infer the diet of the nearctic river otter (Lontra canadensis). The river otter is an opportunistic predator known to subsist on a wide variety of prey including, fishes, crayfish, molluscs, reptiles and amphibians, among others. We analyzed the principle components of 60 FA from otters and 25 potential prey species in Illinois, USA. Prey species came from 4 major taxonomic divisions: fishes, crayfish, molluscs and amphibians. Within each division, most, but not all, species had significantly different profiles. Using quantitative FA signature analysis, our results suggest that, by mass, fish species are the most significant component of Illinois River otters' diet (37.7 ± 1.0%). Molluscs ranked second (32.0 ± 0.8%), followed by amphibians (27.3 ± 4.3%), and finally, crayfish (3.0 ± 0.6%). Our analysis indicates that molluscs make up a larger portion of the otter diet than previously reported. Throughout much of the Midwest there have been numerous otter reintroduction efforts, many of which appear to be successful. In regions where mollusc species are endangered, these data are essential for management agencies to better understand the potential impact of otters on these species. Our analysis further suggests that quantitative FA signature analysis can be used to infer diet even when prey species are diverse, to the extent that their FA profiles differ. Better understanding of the otter's metabolism of FA would improve inferences of diet from FA analysis.
AB - Fatty acids (FA) have recently been used in several studies to infer the diet in a number of species. While these studies have been largely successful, most have dealt with predators that have a fairly specialized diet. In this paper, we used FA analysis as a tool to infer the diet of the nearctic river otter (Lontra canadensis). The river otter is an opportunistic predator known to subsist on a wide variety of prey including, fishes, crayfish, molluscs, reptiles and amphibians, among others. We analyzed the principle components of 60 FA from otters and 25 potential prey species in Illinois, USA. Prey species came from 4 major taxonomic divisions: fishes, crayfish, molluscs and amphibians. Within each division, most, but not all, species had significantly different profiles. Using quantitative FA signature analysis, our results suggest that, by mass, fish species are the most significant component of Illinois River otters' diet (37.7 ± 1.0%). Molluscs ranked second (32.0 ± 0.8%), followed by amphibians (27.3 ± 4.3%), and finally, crayfish (3.0 ± 0.6%). Our analysis indicates that molluscs make up a larger portion of the otter diet than previously reported. Throughout much of the Midwest there have been numerous otter reintroduction efforts, many of which appear to be successful. In regions where mollusc species are endangered, these data are essential for management agencies to better understand the potential impact of otters on these species. Our analysis further suggests that quantitative FA signature analysis can be used to infer diet even when prey species are diverse, to the extent that their FA profiles differ. Better understanding of the otter's metabolism of FA would improve inferences of diet from FA analysis.
KW - Gas chromatography
KW - Inferring diet
KW - Predation
KW - Principal components analysis (PCA)
KW - Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA)
KW - River otter (Lontra canadensis)
KW - analysis
KW - gas chromatography
KW - inferring diet
KW - lontra canadensis
KW - pca
KW - predation
KW - principal components analysis
KW - qfasa
KW - quantitative fatty acid signature
KW - river otter
U2 - 10.1186/2055-0391-56-16
DO - 10.1186/2055-0391-56-16
M3 - Article
VL - 56
SP - 1
EP - 9
JO - Journal of Animal Science and Technology
JF - Journal of Animal Science and Technology
SN - 1598-9429
IS - 16
ER -