Predators in the Dark: Metabarcoding Reveals Arcellinida Communities Associated with Bat Guano in Croatia
Author Information
Author(s): Ángel García-Bodelón, Najla Baković, Emilio Cano, Fernando Useros, Enrique Lara, Rubén González-Miguéns
Primary Institution: Real Jardín Botánico (RJB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
Hypothesis
Is there a 'guanophilic' community in Arcellinida?
Conclusion
Guano-enriched sites foster higher Arcellinida diversity and abundance, while caves without guano host communities that are subsets of external populations.
Supporting Evidence
- Communities in guano-rich sites displayed higher diversity and abundance.
- Unique OTUs and genetic variants were found in guano-impacted sites.
- Sites without guano hosted communities with low abundance and reduced biodiversity.
Takeaway
Bats help create a rich environment for tiny creatures called Arcellinida in caves by leaving behind their droppings, which provide food and nutrients.
Methodology
Sediment samples were collected from two independent hydrosystems and a metabarcoding approach was used to assess Arcellinida diversity.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in sampling locations may affect the generalizability of the findings.
Limitations
The study may not capture all Arcellinida diversity due to the specific sampling methods and locations.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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