Dr Erin Hill1,2, Dr Emily Scicluna1,3, Dr Daniel Nugent1, Dr Nicholas Murphy1
1La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia, 2CSIRO, Black Mountain, Australia, 3University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Biography:
Erin is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with CSIRO Health and Biosecurity. Her research focuses on developing environmental DNA (eDNA) protocols for genetic sampling from European honeybee (Apis mellifera) hives to detect biosecurity threats present in the environment.
Abstract:
Translocations are an important component of conservation management for many Australian threatened species. However, the success of these translocations can be hampered by predation, particularly from invasive predators. Identifying predator species responsible for failures can be challenging when multiple potential predators co-occur in the same region, and visual inspection of remains is often unreliable for identifying the type of predator. DNA metabarcoding is a powerful tool in wildlife conservation with many potential applications, including the ability to detect trace amounts of predator DNA present on remains. Using two case studies involving the release and subsequent predation of translocated vulnerable fat-tailed dunnarts (Sminthopsis crassicaudata) and critically endangered plains-wanderers (Pedionomus torquatus), we test if DNA metabarcoding can identify predator species from collected remains. Fragments of the 12S mitochondrial rRNA region and the 16S rRNA region were amplified from DNA extracted from fat-tailed dunnart and plains-wanderer remains and sequenced via Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to black rat (Rattus rattus) were detected from the dunnart remains, while a combination of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cat (Felis catus) DNA was detected on the remains of four plains-wanderers. Multiple wounds and sample types yielded potential predator DNA. These findings highlight that the detection of predator DNA from animal remains can be a critical tool for conservationists seeking to identify threats to threatened species translocation programs.