DNA metabarcoding of gut contents reveals key habitat and seasonal drivers of trophic networks involving generalist predators in agricultural landscapes

Hafiz Sohaib Ahmed Saqib, Linyang Sun, Gabor Pozsgai, Pingping Liang, Minsheng You, Geoff M. Gurr, Shijun You

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Understanding the networks of trophic interactions into which generalist predators are embedded is key to assessing their ecological role of in trophic networks and the biological control services they provide. The advent of affordable DNA metabarcoding approaches greatly facilitates quantitative understanding of trophic networks and their response to environmental drivers. Here, we examine how key environmental gradients interact to shape predation by Lycosidae in highly dynamic vegetable growing systems in China.

RESULTS: For the sampled Lycosidae, crop identity, pesticide use and seasons shape the abundance of prey detected in spider guts. For the taxonomic richness of prey, local- and landscape-scale factors gradients were more influential. Multivariate ordinations confirm that these crop-abundant spiders dynamically adjust their diet to reflect environmental constraints and seasonal availability to prey.

CONCLUSION: Plasticity in diet composition is likely to account for the persistence of spiders in relatively ephemeral brassica crops. Our findings provide further insights into the optimization of habitat management for predator-based biological control practices. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5390-5401
Number of pages12
JournalPest Management Science
Volume78
Issue number12
Early online date03 Sept 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2022

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