New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) could give a significant boost to efforts to save lots of the world’s rarest marsupials.
The Gilbert putoro, a critically endangered species found only in Western Australia, has fewer than 150 animals left within the wild. Scientists from ECU and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) are working together to raised understand what the small marsupials eat in order that conservation teams can discover suitable latest habitats and help secure the longer term of the species.
“We’re trying to recover species through translocation, which is moving organisms from one place to another to create an insurance population in case something happens to their current population,” explains School of Science PhD student Rebecca Koh.
“In doing so, one of the challenges was trying to determine what they were eating and where those resources might be found. Studying the diet of mycophagus — or fungus-eating mammals — is quite difficult because many fungi cannot be defined.”
Using DNA from Scat to Study Diets
To investigate putoro’s food plan, the researchers used environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding on scat (fiss) samples. This technique is becoming increasingly popular in wildlife research since it allows scientists to review animals without disturbing them.
“Traditionally, researchers sifted through the indigestible material in scraps to study animal diets, but trying to identify fungal spores has been a challenge,” Ms Koh said.
“This study used a molecular technique, called eDNA metabarcoding, to understand what animals are eating. It’s a non-invasive way to study diet and you only need fresh scraps from the environment.”
The team also tested whether the food plan of more common fungus-eating mammals overlapped with that of Gilbert’s putoro. The researchers focused on species that historically shared the identical habitats.
“We examined the quokka, quinda and bush rat scats and found that there was some overlap in the diets of all four mammals, and the habitat use between the quokka and the putoro was really similar,” Ms Koh said.
“Based on our findings, we recommend focusing on areas where all three species persist together as indicators of suitable food, or habitat, for future putoro migration sites.”
Rediscovered after the extinction of thought.
Gilbert’s Potoro was thought to have disappeared completely before it was rediscovered in 1994. Since then, conservation teams have tried several methods to extend the population.
“Soon after their rediscovery, attempts were made to breed them in captivity, but it didn’t work out, especially because of how well-fed they are in terms of their food resources,” he said.
“This is why wild-to-wild migration is so vital. In 2015, a bushfire destroyed 90 percent of the first putoro habitat in Two People’s Bay, home to the one natural population of Gilbert’s putoro. Fortunately, an insurance population was established on Bald Island.
Dr Tony Friend, research associate at DBCA, said researchers were now on the lookout for one other suitable mainland location to determine additional populations. The species is currently distributed in 4 locations, including two islands off the coast of Western Australia.
“Finding new migration sites is an important next step in the recovery of Gilbert’s putoro from near extinction. This publication shows that assessing the fungal diet of mammals found with putoro can help decide where to establish new populations,” said Dr Friend.
Why are fungi-eating mammals vital?
Ms Koh’s extensive PhD research focuses on the conservation and distribution of fungi-eating mammals, which play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
“Cook-eating mammals are ecosystem engineers — they dig for fungi that help transform soil, and so they act as vectors to spread fungal spores.
“Fungi have many ecological functions, including mutually helpful relationships with plants, so mycophagous mammals are really vital in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
“Unfortunately, many of Australia’s mammals are threatened by predation by introduced cats and foxes. That’s why it’s so important that we do everything we can to protect our native wildlife, and translocation is an important way to achieve that goal.”