Data from: What you need is what you eat? Prey selection by the bat Myotis daubentonii

dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Helsinki - Vesterinen, Eero J.
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Helsinki - Ruokolainen, Lasse
dc.contributor.affiliationLund University - Wahlberg, Niklas
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Turku - Peña, Carlos
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Helsinki - Roslin, Tomas
dc.contributor.affiliationNederlands Instituut voor Ecologie - Laine, Veronika N.
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Turku - Vasko, Ville
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Turku - Sääksjärvi, Ilari E.
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Turku - Norrdahl, Kai
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Turku - Lilley, Thomas M.
dc.contributor.authorVesterinen, Eero J.
dc.contributor.authorRuokolainen, Lasse
dc.contributor.authorWahlberg, Niklas
dc.contributor.authorPeña, Carlos
dc.contributor.authorRoslin, Tomas
dc.contributor.authorLaine, Veronika N.
dc.contributor.authorVasko, Ville
dc.contributor.authorSääksjärvi, Ilari E.
dc.contributor.authorNorrdahl, Kai
dc.contributor.authorLilley, Thomas M.
dc.coverage.spatialNautelankoski
dc.coverage.spatialFinland
dc.date.accessioned2025-03-24T15:17:06Z
dc.date.issued2016-02-02
dc.date.issued2016-02-02
dc.descriptionOptimal foraging theory predicts that predators are selective when faced with abundant prey, but become less picky when prey gets sparse. Insectivorous bats in temperate regions are faced with the challenge of building up fat reserves vital for hibernation during a period of decreasing arthropod abundances. According to optimal foraging theory, prehibernating bats should adopt a less selective feeding behaviour – yet empirical studies have revealed many apparently generalized species to be composed of specialist individuals. Targeting the diet of the bat Myotis daubentonii, we used a combination of molecular techniques to test for seasonal changes in prey selectivity and individual-level variation in prey preferences. DNA metabarcoding was used to characterize both the prey contents of bat droppings and the insect community available as prey. To test for dietary differences among M. daubentonii individuals, we used ten microsatellite loci to assign droppings to individual bats. The comparison between consumed and available prey revealed a preference for certain prey items regardless of availability. Nonbiting midges (Chironomidae) remained the most highly consumed prey at all times, despite a significant increase in the availability of black flies (Simuliidae) towards the end of the season. The bats sampled showed no evidence of individual specialization in dietary preferences. Overall, our approach offers little support for optimal foraging theory. Thus, it shows how novel combinations of genetic markers can be used to test general theory, targeting patterns at both the level of prey communities and individual predators.
dc.identifierhttps://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.343nd
dc.identifier.urihttps://hydatakatalogi-test-24.it.helsinki.fi/handle/123456789/9955
dc.rightsOpen
dc.rights.licensecc-zero
dc.subjectPredator Prey Interactions
dc.subjectPopulation Ecology
dc.subjectMyotis daubentonii
dc.subjectDiet Analysis
dc.subjectHolocene
dc.titleData from: What you need is what you eat? Prey selection by the bat Myotis daubentonii
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