Diet alters rodent fecal pellet size: implications for paleoecological and demographic studies using fecal dimensions
Diet alters rodent fecal pellet size: implications for paleoecological and demographic studies using fecal dimensions
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DOI：
10.1093/jmammal/gyab098
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发表时间：
2021-09
影响因子：
1.7
通讯作者：
Maya Maurer;Karen Peralta Martínez;B. Trevelline;Domenique Tripoli;M. Dearing;T. Derting;R. Mota;B. Pasch;K. Kohl
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文献类型：
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作者：
Maya Maurer;Karen Peralta Martínez;B. Trevelline;Domenique Tripoli;M. Dearing;T. Derting;R. Mota;B. Pasch;K. Kohl
粪便颗粒大小的测量可以提供关于野生哺乳动物的重要信息，如体型和人口统计信息。以前的研究并没有严格测试饮食是否会混淆这些测量结果。此外，尚不清楚饮食是否会直接或通过动物生理变化来改变粪便尺寸。在这里，我们研究了三种密切相关的啮齿类动物，它们的自然摄食策略不同。这些个体被喂食蛋白质和纤维含量不同的饮食5周。然后我们测量了它们的体型，粪便的宽度和长度，以及大肠的半径。饲粮组成显著改变了所有物种的粪便宽度。高纤维含量显著增加了粪便宽度，如果应用于野生粪便，会导致对体型的高估。通过通径分析，我们发现纤维可以通过增加大肠半径直接或间接地增加粪便宽度。蛋白质对每个物种的影响不同，这表明蛋白质的影响因物种的摄食策略和现有生理而异。总的来说，饮食和大肠形态可以改变粪便颗粒的测量。因此，使用粪便测量的研究必须在结论中考虑这些影响。
Measurements of fecal pellet size can provide important information about wild mammals, such as body size and demographic information. Previous studies have not rigorously tested whether diet can confound these measurements. Furthermore, it is unknown whether diet might alter fecal dimensions directly or through changes in animal physiology. Here, we studied three closely related rodent species that differ in natural feeding strategies. Individuals were fed diets that varied in protein and fiber content for 5 weeks. We then measured body size, fecal widths and lengths, and the radius of the large intestine. Diet composition significantly changed fecal widths in all species. High-fiber content significantly increased fecal widths and would cause overestimations of body size if applied to wild feces. Using path analysis, we found that fiber can increase fecal widths both directly and indirectly through increasing the large intestine radius. Protein affected each species differently, suggesting that protein effects vary by species feeding strategy and existing physiology. Overall, diet and large intestine morphology can alter fecal pellet measurements. Studies using fecal measurements therefore must consider these effects in their conclusions.