Spatio‐Temporal Variation in Diet Among Age and Sex Cohorts of a Model Generalist Bird Species, the Great Tit Parus major: New Insights Revealed by DNA Metabarcoding.
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| Title: | Spatio‐Temporal Variation in Diet Among Age and Sex Cohorts of a Model Generalist Bird Species, the Great Tit Parus major: New Insights Revealed by DNA Metabarcoding. |
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| Authors: | Coomes, J. R.1 (AUTHOR) jennycoomes.ucc@gmail.com, Cuff, J. P.2 (AUTHOR), Reichert, M. S.1,3 (AUTHOR), Davidson, G. L.1,4 (AUTHOR), Symondson, W. O. C.5 (AUTHOR), Quinn, J. L.1 (AUTHOR) j.quinn@ucc.ie |
| Source: | Ecology & Evolution (20457758). Jul2025, Vol. 15 Issue 7, p1-20. 20p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Bird ecology, *Biological adaptation, Great tit, Dietary patterns, Genetic barcoding, Spatiotemporal processes, Age groups |
| Abstract: | Dietary variation among cohorts can have a major impact on how populations adapt to environmental variation. Although variation in diet between cohorts and across habitats has been studied in many taxa, this is not true for most birds, especially smaller generalist passerines whose feeding habits are predominantly cryptic. Here we used DNA metabarcoding with next‐generation sequencing to assess spatio‐temporal dietary variation among age and sex cohorts of the great tit Parus major, a model species in avian ecology. Most dietary species were rare but nevertheless collectively made up 30% of the diet, as expected of a generalist. Winter moth Operophtera brumata, a major focus in tit breeding phenology research, was the most prevalent dietary item, but the next ten most prevalent Lepidopterans were collectively four times more important. There was considerable variation in dietary richness and composition among seasons and years. In winter, natural plant and invertebrate species were extensively represented in the diet, despite the constant availability of supplemental food. Diet composition varied with woodland type: in conifer woodlands, birds fed on species adapted to conifer plantations, as expected, but they also fed on many species adapted to deciduous species. In winter, birds in conifers used peanut feeders more than they did in mixed woodlands where beech was more prevalent in the diet. In winter, first‐year birds consumed more invertebrate species than adults, presumably because they were less selective, and beech (Fagus) was almost twice as prevalent in first‐year diet. Our results suggest considerable spatio‐temporal variation in diet and variation among cohorts, and provide insight into the diet of a key model species in avian ecology. Such variation is rarely considered even though it is likely to have important consequences for our understanding of how populations respond to environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Ecology & Evolution (20457758) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
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| Header | DbId: 8gh DbLabel: GreenFILE An: 186996006 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Spatio‐Temporal Variation in Diet Among Age and Sex Cohorts of a Model Generalist Bird Species, the Great Tit Parus major: New Insights Revealed by DNA Metabarcoding. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Coomes%2C+J%2E+R%2E%22">Coomes, J. R.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> jennycoomes.ucc@gmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cuff%2C+J%2E+P%2E%22">Cuff, J. P.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Reichert%2C+M%2E+S%2E%22">Reichert, M. S.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Davidson%2C+G%2E+L%2E%22">Davidson, G. L.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Symondson%2C+W%2E+O%2E+C%2E%22">Symondson, W. O. C.</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Quinn%2C+J%2E+L%2E%22">Quinn, J. L.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> j.quinn@ucc.ie</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Ecology+%26+Evolution+%2820457758%29%22">Ecology & Evolution (20457758)</searchLink>. Jul2025, Vol. 15 Issue 7, p1-20. 20p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bird+ecology%22">Bird ecology</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biological+adaptation%22">Biological adaptation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Great+tit%22">Great tit</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dietary+patterns%22">Dietary patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Genetic+barcoding%22">Genetic barcoding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spatiotemporal+processes%22">Spatiotemporal processes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+groups%22">Age groups</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Dietary variation among cohorts can have a major impact on how populations adapt to environmental variation. Although variation in diet between cohorts and across habitats has been studied in many taxa, this is not true for most birds, especially smaller generalist passerines whose feeding habits are predominantly cryptic. Here we used DNA metabarcoding with next‐generation sequencing to assess spatio‐temporal dietary variation among age and sex cohorts of the great tit Parus major, a model species in avian ecology. Most dietary species were rare but nevertheless collectively made up 30% of the diet, as expected of a generalist. Winter moth Operophtera brumata, a major focus in tit breeding phenology research, was the most prevalent dietary item, but the next ten most prevalent Lepidopterans were collectively four times more important. There was considerable variation in dietary richness and composition among seasons and years. In winter, natural plant and invertebrate species were extensively represented in the diet, despite the constant availability of supplemental food. Diet composition varied with woodland type: in conifer woodlands, birds fed on species adapted to conifer plantations, as expected, but they also fed on many species adapted to deciduous species. In winter, birds in conifers used peanut feeders more than they did in mixed woodlands where beech was more prevalent in the diet. In winter, first‐year birds consumed more invertebrate species than adults, presumably because they were less selective, and beech (Fagus) was almost twice as prevalent in first‐year diet. Our results suggest considerable spatio‐temporal variation in diet and variation among cohorts, and provide insight into the diet of a key model species in avian ecology. Such variation is rarely considered even though it is likely to have important consequences for our understanding of how populations respond to environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Ecology & Evolution (20457758) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1002/ece3.71565 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 20 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Bird ecology Type: general – SubjectFull: Biological adaptation Type: general – SubjectFull: Great tit Type: general – SubjectFull: Dietary patterns Type: general – SubjectFull: Genetic barcoding Type: general – SubjectFull: Spatiotemporal processes Type: general – SubjectFull: Age groups Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Spatio‐Temporal Variation in Diet Among Age and Sex Cohorts of a Model Generalist Bird Species, the Great Tit Parus major: New Insights Revealed by DNA Metabarcoding. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Coomes, J. R. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Cuff, J. P. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Reichert, M. S. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Davidson, G. L. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Symondson, W. O. C. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Quinn, J. L. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 07 Text: Jul2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 20457758 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 15 – Type: issue Value: 7 Titles: – TitleFull: Ecology & Evolution (20457758) Type: main |
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