First description of Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus diet using DNA metabarcoding

Journal article

Obtaining quantitative information on fundamental aspects of ecology such as diet can be challenging for pelagic seabird species. DNA metabarcoding of faecal samples is a non-invasive method of dietary analysis, with potential to identify prey at high taxonomic resolution. We apply this method to understand the diet of the Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus, a highly pelagic species where little quantitative information on diet is available. Using DNA metabarcoding analysis on faecal samples for this species, we identified six species of fishes: European Sprat Sprattus sprattus, Blue Whiting Micromesistius poutassou, Atlantic Herring Clupea harengus, Northern Rockling Ciliata septentrionalis, sandeel Ammodytes sp and a species of Cottoidei (sculpins and allies). Of 153 dietary samples, only 19 produced sufficient DNA to identify prey species. We speculate that our low success rate may be the result of long foraging trips early in the breeding season, where excretion prior to sampling may reduce the amount of prey matter in faecal samples and prey DNA degradation during prolonged residence in the gastrointestinal tract may reduce the detectability of prey matter. We discuss improvements in sample collection for future dietary studies of this and other highly mobile species with similar traits.

Authors: Siddiqi-Davies, K; Fisher-Reeves, L; Morford, J; Clucas, G; Guilford, T

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Seabird Group
• Journal: Seabird Journal
• Volume: 37
• Pages: 22-34
• Publication date: 2025-01-01
• DOI: 10.61350/sbj.37.2
• ISSN: 1757-5842
• Language: English