Using DNA metabarcoding for simultaneous inference of common vampire bat diet and population structure

Metabarcoding diet analysis has become a valuable tool in animal ecology; however, co-amplified predator sequences are not generally used for anything other than to validate predator identity. Exemplified by the common vampire bat we demonstrate the use of metabarcoding to infer predator population structure alongside diet assessments. Growing populations of common vampire bats impact human, livestock and wildlife health in Latin America through transmission of pathogens, such as lethal rabies infections. Techniques to determine large scale variation in vampire bat diet and bat population structure would empower locality- and species-specific projections of disease transmission risks. However, previously used methods are not cost-effective and efficient for large scale applications. Using blood meal and faecal samples from common vampire bats from coastal, Andean and Amazonian regions of Peru, we showcase metabarcoding as a scalable tool to assess vampire bat population structure and fe...在动物生态学研究领域，宏条形码（metabarcoding）饮食分析已成为极具价值的技术工具；然而，共扩增得到的捕食者序列通常仅用于验证捕食者身份，并无其他应用场景。本研究以普通吸血蝠为范例，展示了如何利用宏条形码技术，在开展饮食评估的同时推断捕食者种群结构。普通吸血蝠种群数量持续扩张，通过传播狂犬病等致命病原体，对拉丁美洲地区的人类、家畜及野生动物健康构成严重威胁。若能精准判定吸血蝠饮食与种群结构的大规模变异特征，将可为疾病传播风险的局域化、物种特异性预测提供关键支撑。但此前常用的技术方案在大规模应用场景中，既无法兼顾成本效益，也难以实现高效运行。本研究采集了秘鲁沿海、安第斯山脉及亚马孙地区普通吸血蝠的血餐与粪便样本，以此证明宏条形码技术可作为一种可规模化应用的工具，用于评估吸血蝠种群结构及粪便（原文后续内容未完整呈现）