Anaïs Dittrich, Johannes Lang, Cornelia Schütz, B. Sittler, B. Eitzinger
{"title":"Identifying invertebrate species in Arctic muskox dung using DNA barcoding","authors":"Anaïs Dittrich, Johannes Lang, Cornelia Schütz, B. Sittler, B. Eitzinger","doi":"10.33265/polar.v42.9017","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"The Arctic is undergoing strong environmental changes, affecting species and whole biological communities. To assess the impact on these communities, including their composition and functions, we need more information on their current distribution and biology. In the High-Arctic tundra, dung from animals, such as muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus), is a relatively understudied microhabitat that may be attractive for organisms like dung-feeding insects as well as gastrointestinal parasites. Using a DNA barcoding approach, we examined muskox droppings from two Greenlandic regions for dung-dwelling invertebrates. In 15% of all samples, we found the DNA of insect species in the orders Diptera and Lepidoptera. The saprophagous Diptera colonized dung differently in west versus north-east Greenland and summer versus winter. In addition, we found muskox dung harbouring endoparasitic nematodes in samples from both regions. However, we could not find traces of saprophagous arthropods, such as collembolans and mites, from the soil sphere. Our pilot study sheds a first light on the invertebrates living in this neglected Arctic microhabitat.","PeriodicalId":49684,"journal":{"name":"Polar Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9000,"publicationDate":"2023-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Polar Research","FirstCategoryId":"89","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v42.9017","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ECOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The Arctic is undergoing strong environmental changes, affecting species and whole biological communities. To assess the impact on these communities, including their composition and functions, we need more information on their current distribution and biology. In the High-Arctic tundra, dung from animals, such as muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus), is a relatively understudied microhabitat that may be attractive for organisms like dung-feeding insects as well as gastrointestinal parasites. Using a DNA barcoding approach, we examined muskox droppings from two Greenlandic regions for dung-dwelling invertebrates. In 15% of all samples, we found the DNA of insect species in the orders Diptera and Lepidoptera. The saprophagous Diptera colonized dung differently in west versus north-east Greenland and summer versus winter. In addition, we found muskox dung harbouring endoparasitic nematodes in samples from both regions. However, we could not find traces of saprophagous arthropods, such as collembolans and mites, from the soil sphere. Our pilot study sheds a first light on the invertebrates living in this neglected Arctic microhabitat.
期刊介绍:
Since 1982, Polar Research has been the international, peer-reviewed journal of the Norwegian Polar Institute, Norway''s central institution for research, environmental monitoring and mapping of the polar regions. Aiming to promote the exchange of scientific knowledge about the Arctic and Antarctic across disciplinary boundaries, Polar Research serves an international community of researchers and managers. As an open-access journal, Polar Research makes its contents freely available to the general public.
Original primary research papers comprise the mainstay of Polar Research. Review articles, brief research notes, letters to the editor and book reviews are also included. Special issues are published from time to time.
The scope of Polar Research encompasses research in all scientific disciplines relevant to the polar regions. These include, but are not limited to, the subfields of biology, ecology, geology, oceanography, glaciology and atmospheric science. Submissions from the social sciences and those focusing on polar management and policy issues are welcome. Contributions about Antarctica are particularly encouraged.