Research on feeding habits and stomach fungi in Eothenomys miletus from Hengduan mountain regions

Abstract

Eothenomys miletus ( E. miletus ) is one of the rodent species found in Yunnan, and it has caused significant harm to local agricultural production. In this study, we aimed to investigate the differences in feeding habits and stomach fungi of E. miletus across different areas in the Hengduan mountain regions. By exploring the main factors affecting the feeding habits and fungi of E. miletus , this study provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of this species. We collected E. miletus specimens from five regions, namely Deqin, Xianggelila, Lijiang, Jianchuan, and Ailaoshan. We measured their feeding habits and the types of fungi in their stomachs using high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that E. miletus primarily fed on Poaceae, Oxalidaceae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae. Food diversity of E. miletus in Ailaoshan and Jianchuan was significantly lower than in the other three regions. As for stomach fungi, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the absolute dominant sectors. Changes in the diversity of fungi in different regions were consistent with changes in food diversity. The diversity of fungi in Ailaoshan and Jianchuan regions was lower than in the other three regions. These findings suggest that the feeding habits of E. miletus in different regions were affected by plant species, which, in turn, affects the diversity of fungi in their stomachs.