Understanding the diet of threatened wildlife is vital for species-specific conservation and habitat management measures.The Red-crowned Crane(Grus japonensis)is a vulnerable bird distributed in Northeast Asia.Previou...Understanding the diet of threatened wildlife is vital for species-specific conservation and habitat management measures.The Red-crowned Crane(Grus japonensis)is a vulnerable bird distributed in Northeast Asia.Previous dietary studies of this bird focused mainly on its plant food composition based on field observations and microhistological identification.Herein,a total of 45 fecal samples were collected in November,December and January(15 fecal samples each month)from wintering cranes,and then subjected to a high throughput sequencing meta-barcoding approach to determine the primary plant(rbcL)and animal(COI)food items in their diet.A total of 230 operational taxonomic units(OTUs)of plant foods and 371 OTUs of animal foods were obtained.The main plant foods in the wintering period were Miscanthus,Zea,and Hordeum genera,which were similar to those in the breeding and the migration periods.Both agricultural and natural plants were detected,indicating a relatively broad dietary niche for this crane species.However,the main animal foods were representatives of Theridiidae,Megascolecidae,and Agelenidae,in sharp contrast to previous studies.The higher number of small terrestrial arthropods in animal foods might be due to the indirect intake of plants.The composition of both plant and animal foods in the diet showed the highest diversity in December,while it was homogeneous in January.The plant of Zea genus became the main source of nutrition in late winter,as supplementary feeding was performed in the reserve,which could help Red-crowned Cranes to get through the cold season.The results obtained in this work would contribute to the development of effective conservation strategies for the Red-crowned Crane.展开更多
We studied the feeding ecology of the Black Wood Pigeon(Columba janthina),a species endemic to the East Asian Pacific Islands,and determined the species’dietary composition and food preferences on Ulleung Island,Sout...We studied the feeding ecology of the Black Wood Pigeon(Columba janthina),a species endemic to the East Asian Pacific Islands,and determined the species’dietary composition and food preferences on Ulleung Island,South Korea,through field observations.From March 2016 to February 2018,the diversity of food items consumed was low,with the 10 most common plant species(from a total of 33)accounting for over 80%.Food availability varied depending on plant abundance,but this influence was minimized because of factors such as delayed fruit ripening.Drupes were the most favored food items(60-68%)but were replaced by nuts and weed seeds during the spring and winter months.Dietary composition and food preferences were related to the abundance of food items based on their phenology,but a steady,high preference for Aphananthe aspera was observed throughout the study period.The abundance of Prunus takesimensis in June was correlated with changes in the Black Wood Pigeon population.This study is the first to assess the feeding ecology of Black Wood Pigeons using field observations and suggests that the availability of different food items affects population changes on the East Asian Pacific islands.展开更多
BACKGROUND Recent research has underscored the potentially protective role of dietary antioxidants against chronic conditions,such as cardiovascular diseases and stroke.The composite dietary antioxidant index(CDAI),wh...BACKGROUND Recent research has underscored the potentially protective role of dietary antioxidants against chronic conditions,such as cardiovascular diseases and stroke.The composite dietary antioxidant index(CDAI),which reflects the overall intake of key dietary antioxidants,has been identified as a crucial metric for exploring this relationship.Although previous research has shown a negative correlation between CDAI levels and stroke risk in prediabetic individuals,there remains a substantial gap in understanding this association among individuals with diabetes,who are at an inherently greater risk for cerebrovascular events.AIM To investigate the association between CDAI and stroke risk in individuals with diabetes.METHODS Using a cross-sectional study design,this investigation analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning from 2003 to 2018 that included 6735 participants aged over 20 years with diabetes.The CDAI was calculated from 24-h dietary recalls to assess intake of key antioxidants:Vitamins A,C,and E;carotenoids;selenium;and zinc.Multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline analysis were used to rigorously examine the relationship between CDAI and stroke risk.RESULTS The participant cohort,with an average age of 59.5 years and a slight male majority,reflected the broader demographic characteristics of individuals with diabetes.The analysis revealed a strong inverse relationship between CDAI levels and stroke risk.Remarkably,those in the highest quintile of CDAI demonstrated a 43%lower prevalence of stroke compared to those in the lowest quintile,even after adjustments for various confounders.This finding not only highlights the negative association between CDAI and stroke risk but also underscores the significant potential of antioxidant-rich diets in reducing stroke prevalence among patients with diabetes.CONCLUSION Our findings suggested that CDAI was inversely associated with stroke prevalence among patients with diabetes.These results suggest incorporating antioxidant-rich foods into dietary regimens as a potential strategy for stroke prevention.展开更多
A comprehensive study of the invasive icefish Neosalanx taihuensis feeding ecology in Erhai Lake was conducted from November 2009 to October 2010. Prey items in the guts of the icefish sampled varied significantly acc...A comprehensive study of the invasive icefish Neosalanx taihuensis feeding ecology in Erhai Lake was conducted from November 2009 to October 2010. Prey items in the guts of the icefish sampled varied significantly according to season. This finding suggests a relationship between fluctuations in available prey in the environment and selective feeding by icefish. N. taihuensis preferred large-sized zooplankton, such as Daphnia and calanoids. Additionally, the gut fullness values differed significantly （P〈0.001） among sampling times. To compare the values at different times, samples were taken over a 24 h period every 2 months for the entire year. The feeding activities of the fish were concentrated either in the morning （8：00） and/or at dusk （20：00）, except in September 2010. This finding can be explained primarily by the variation in optimum light intensity. Daily N. taihuensis zooplankton consumption varied significantly, both diurnally and among seasons. The daily consumption values ranged from 0.089 to 0.237 g （wet weight） per 100 g wet fish weight in temperatures between 11.50℃ and 24.68℃. This is the first report of diel feeding periodicity and daily food consumption of icefish in their invaded ecosystems.展开更多
Trimethylamine N-oxide(TMAO)is a risk factor of various chronic diseases,which was produced by metabolism from precursors to trimethylamine(TMA)in gut and the oxidation from TMA in liver.The TMA generation was influen...Trimethylamine N-oxide(TMAO)is a risk factor of various chronic diseases,which was produced by metabolism from precursors to trimethylamine(TMA)in gut and the oxidation from TMA in liver.The TMA generation was influenced by diet,mainly due to the rich TMAO precursors in diet.However,it was still unclear that the effects of different proportion and source of macronutrients in different dietary pattern on the production process of TMAO.Here,the generation of TMA from precursors and TMAO from TMA was determined after single oral choline chloride and intraperitoneal injection TMA,respectively,in mice fed with carbohydrates,proteins and fats in different proportion and sources.The results suggested that the generation of TMAO was increased by low non-meat protein and high fat via enhancing the production of TMAO from TMA,and decreased by plant protein and refined sugar via reducing TMA production from precursors in gut and TMAO transformation from TMA in liver.The high fat and high sugar diets accelerating the development of atherosclerosis did not increase the production of TMAO,the risk factor for atherosclerosis,which indicated that the dietary compositions rather than the elevated TMAO level might be a more key risk factor for atherosclerosis.展开更多
Knowing the diet of endangered wild animals is a prerequisite for species-specific conservation and habitat management.The Sichuan partridge Arborophila rufipectus is a globally endangered Galliformes species endemic ...Knowing the diet of endangered wild animals is a prerequisite for species-specific conservation and habitat management.The Sichuan partridge Arborophila rufipectus is a globally endangered Galliformes species endemic to the mountains of southwest China.Existing information on the diet of this species is biased and fragmented owing to traditional observation methods.Little is known about their dietary composition or how they respond to temporal variations in food resources throughout the year.In this study,a dietary analysis was performed on 6o fecal samples using DNA Metabarcoding of invertebrates and plants to determine the primary animal and plant components of the diet across 3 critical periods of adult life history(breeding,postbreeding wandering,and overwintering).Preys from the dipteran order,followed by the lepidopteran and ara-neaen spp.,were the predominant,animal-derived foods.Symplocos,Rubus,Celastrus,Holboellia,and Actinidia spp.supply a large abundance of fruits and seeds for this omnivorous bird.Substantial temporal dietary changes among the 3 periods and a general shift toward lower dietary diversity during the breeding season were observed,suggesting that the Sichuan partridge can adjust their diet according to the availability of food resources and their own needs.Characterizing the composition and seasonal changes in Sichuan partridge diets informs the habitat management of native flora(the plant taxa that can generate berries and seeds,such as Symplocos,Rubus,Celastrus,and Holboellia,which are likely of conservation interest)to achieve full life-cycle conservation.展开更多
Background Public interest in the way food is produced on the farm and processed along the food-production chain is increasing.The analysis of isotopic signatures(^(13)C)in cow tail hair provides a method to reconstru...Background Public interest in the way food is produced on the farm and processed along the food-production chain is increasing.The analysis of isotopic signatures(^(13)C)in cow tail hair provides a method to reconstruct the dietary proportion of maize in cow diets.Based on this,we further investigated whether there is a relationship between isotopic signatures in cow tail hair or farm slurry and the proportion of maize of the total utilized agricultural area per farm[%].We did an on-farm survey on 17 dairy farms in coastal Northwest Germany and collected cow tail hair from dairy cows and slurry samples on each farm.The farms differed in their feeding regime(C_(3) vs.C_(4) plants),their site conditions(sandy soil=‘Geestland’;organic soil=‘Peatland’;clayey soil=‘Marshland’),and in the area cultivated with maize as a proportion of the total utilized agricultural area per farm.Results We found a positive relationship between δ^(13)C values in both cow tail hair and slurry and the annual dietary proportion of maize(R^(2)=0.67;and R^(2)=0.63).Furthermore,we confirmed that there was a relationship betweenδ^(13)C values in cow tail hair and area of maize as a proportion of the total utilized agricultural area per farm(R^(2)=0.69).Conclusion Our findings suggest a general applicability of using isotopic signatures(^(13)C)along a wide gradient of site conditions and productions systems in practice.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31800453)the Biodiversity Investigation,Observation and Assessment Program(2019-2023)+1 种基金the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China(2110404)the Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province(No.2022YFS0487).
文摘Understanding the diet of threatened wildlife is vital for species-specific conservation and habitat management measures.The Red-crowned Crane(Grus japonensis)is a vulnerable bird distributed in Northeast Asia.Previous dietary studies of this bird focused mainly on its plant food composition based on field observations and microhistological identification.Herein,a total of 45 fecal samples were collected in November,December and January(15 fecal samples each month)from wintering cranes,and then subjected to a high throughput sequencing meta-barcoding approach to determine the primary plant(rbcL)and animal(COI)food items in their diet.A total of 230 operational taxonomic units(OTUs)of plant foods and 371 OTUs of animal foods were obtained.The main plant foods in the wintering period were Miscanthus,Zea,and Hordeum genera,which were similar to those in the breeding and the migration periods.Both agricultural and natural plants were detected,indicating a relatively broad dietary niche for this crane species.However,the main animal foods were representatives of Theridiidae,Megascolecidae,and Agelenidae,in sharp contrast to previous studies.The higher number of small terrestrial arthropods in animal foods might be due to the indirect intake of plants.The composition of both plant and animal foods in the diet showed the highest diversity in December,while it was homogeneous in January.The plant of Zea genus became the main source of nutrition in late winter,as supplementary feeding was performed in the reserve,which could help Red-crowned Cranes to get through the cold season.The results obtained in this work would contribute to the development of effective conservation strategies for the Red-crowned Crane.
基金This study was included by part of the 5th National Ecosystem Research Project of National Institute of Ecology(NIE-A-2020-01).
文摘We studied the feeding ecology of the Black Wood Pigeon(Columba janthina),a species endemic to the East Asian Pacific Islands,and determined the species’dietary composition and food preferences on Ulleung Island,South Korea,through field observations.From March 2016 to February 2018,the diversity of food items consumed was low,with the 10 most common plant species(from a total of 33)accounting for over 80%.Food availability varied depending on plant abundance,but this influence was minimized because of factors such as delayed fruit ripening.Drupes were the most favored food items(60-68%)but were replaced by nuts and weed seeds during the spring and winter months.Dietary composition and food preferences were related to the abundance of food items based on their phenology,but a steady,high preference for Aphananthe aspera was observed throughout the study period.The abundance of Prunus takesimensis in June was correlated with changes in the Black Wood Pigeon population.This study is the first to assess the feeding ecology of Black Wood Pigeons using field observations and suggests that the availability of different food items affects population changes on the East Asian Pacific islands.
基金Supported by Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences,No.XDB38010100Construction and Validation of an Early Identification System for Cardiovascular Disease Associated with Glucose Metabolism Disorders,No.202204295107020026Science and Technology Projects in Guangzhou,No.2023A04J1087.
文摘BACKGROUND Recent research has underscored the potentially protective role of dietary antioxidants against chronic conditions,such as cardiovascular diseases and stroke.The composite dietary antioxidant index(CDAI),which reflects the overall intake of key dietary antioxidants,has been identified as a crucial metric for exploring this relationship.Although previous research has shown a negative correlation between CDAI levels and stroke risk in prediabetic individuals,there remains a substantial gap in understanding this association among individuals with diabetes,who are at an inherently greater risk for cerebrovascular events.AIM To investigate the association between CDAI and stroke risk in individuals with diabetes.METHODS Using a cross-sectional study design,this investigation analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning from 2003 to 2018 that included 6735 participants aged over 20 years with diabetes.The CDAI was calculated from 24-h dietary recalls to assess intake of key antioxidants:Vitamins A,C,and E;carotenoids;selenium;and zinc.Multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline analysis were used to rigorously examine the relationship between CDAI and stroke risk.RESULTS The participant cohort,with an average age of 59.5 years and a slight male majority,reflected the broader demographic characteristics of individuals with diabetes.The analysis revealed a strong inverse relationship between CDAI levels and stroke risk.Remarkably,those in the highest quintile of CDAI demonstrated a 43%lower prevalence of stroke compared to those in the lowest quintile,even after adjustments for various confounders.This finding not only highlights the negative association between CDAI and stroke risk but also underscores the significant potential of antioxidant-rich diets in reducing stroke prevalence among patients with diabetes.CONCLUSION Our findings suggested that CDAI was inversely associated with stroke prevalence among patients with diabetes.These results suggest incorporating antioxidant-rich foods into dietary regimens as a potential strategy for stroke prevention.
基金Supported by the National Major Technology Projects of Water Pollution Control and Management(No.2012ZX07105-004)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.41173118,40703017,40873079)
文摘A comprehensive study of the invasive icefish Neosalanx taihuensis feeding ecology in Erhai Lake was conducted from November 2009 to October 2010. Prey items in the guts of the icefish sampled varied significantly according to season. This finding suggests a relationship between fluctuations in available prey in the environment and selective feeding by icefish. N. taihuensis preferred large-sized zooplankton, such as Daphnia and calanoids. Additionally, the gut fullness values differed significantly （P〈0.001） among sampling times. To compare the values at different times, samples were taken over a 24 h period every 2 months for the entire year. The feeding activities of the fish were concentrated either in the morning （8：00） and/or at dusk （20：00）, except in September 2010. This finding can be explained primarily by the variation in optimum light intensity. Daily N. taihuensis zooplankton consumption varied significantly, both diurnally and among seasons. The daily consumption values ranged from 0.089 to 0.237 g （wet weight） per 100 g wet fish weight in temperatures between 11.50℃ and 24.68℃. This is the first report of diel feeding periodicity and daily food consumption of icefish in their invaded ecosystems.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32072145)。
文摘Trimethylamine N-oxide(TMAO)is a risk factor of various chronic diseases,which was produced by metabolism from precursors to trimethylamine(TMA)in gut and the oxidation from TMA in liver.The TMA generation was influenced by diet,mainly due to the rich TMAO precursors in diet.However,it was still unclear that the effects of different proportion and source of macronutrients in different dietary pattern on the production process of TMAO.Here,the generation of TMA from precursors and TMAO from TMA was determined after single oral choline chloride and intraperitoneal injection TMA,respectively,in mice fed with carbohydrates,proteins and fats in different proportion and sources.The results suggested that the generation of TMAO was increased by low non-meat protein and high fat via enhancing the production of TMAO from TMA,and decreased by plant protein and refined sugar via reducing TMA production from precursors in gut and TMAO transformation from TMA in liver.The high fat and high sugar diets accelerating the development of atherosclerosis did not increase the production of TMAO,the risk factor for atherosclerosis,which indicated that the dietary compositions rather than the elevated TMAO level might be a more key risk factor for atherosclerosis.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32270517,31872961)a grant(2019HB2096001006)the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China,and the Starting Research Fund of Sichuan Normal University(024341965,XJKY1026).
文摘Knowing the diet of endangered wild animals is a prerequisite for species-specific conservation and habitat management.The Sichuan partridge Arborophila rufipectus is a globally endangered Galliformes species endemic to the mountains of southwest China.Existing information on the diet of this species is biased and fragmented owing to traditional observation methods.Little is known about their dietary composition or how they respond to temporal variations in food resources throughout the year.In this study,a dietary analysis was performed on 6o fecal samples using DNA Metabarcoding of invertebrates and plants to determine the primary animal and plant components of the diet across 3 critical periods of adult life history(breeding,postbreeding wandering,and overwintering).Preys from the dipteran order,followed by the lepidopteran and ara-neaen spp.,were the predominant,animal-derived foods.Symplocos,Rubus,Celastrus,Holboellia,and Actinidia spp.supply a large abundance of fruits and seeds for this omnivorous bird.Substantial temporal dietary changes among the 3 periods and a general shift toward lower dietary diversity during the breeding season were observed,suggesting that the Sichuan partridge can adjust their diet according to the availability of food resources and their own needs.Characterizing the composition and seasonal changes in Sichuan partridge diets informs the habitat management of native flora(the plant taxa that can generate berries and seeds,such as Symplocos,Rubus,Celastrus,and Holboellia,which are likely of conservation interest)to achieve full life-cycle conservation.
基金supported by the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food(BLE)within the collaborative research project‘Waterbuddies’,support code:2817NA004We acknowledge funding by the Open Access Publication Funds of the Göttingen UniversityOpen Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.
文摘Background Public interest in the way food is produced on the farm and processed along the food-production chain is increasing.The analysis of isotopic signatures(^(13)C)in cow tail hair provides a method to reconstruct the dietary proportion of maize in cow diets.Based on this,we further investigated whether there is a relationship between isotopic signatures in cow tail hair or farm slurry and the proportion of maize of the total utilized agricultural area per farm[%].We did an on-farm survey on 17 dairy farms in coastal Northwest Germany and collected cow tail hair from dairy cows and slurry samples on each farm.The farms differed in their feeding regime(C_(3) vs.C_(4) plants),their site conditions(sandy soil=‘Geestland’;organic soil=‘Peatland’;clayey soil=‘Marshland’),and in the area cultivated with maize as a proportion of the total utilized agricultural area per farm.Results We found a positive relationship between δ^(13)C values in both cow tail hair and slurry and the annual dietary proportion of maize(R^(2)=0.67;and R^(2)=0.63).Furthermore,we confirmed that there was a relationship betweenδ^(13)C values in cow tail hair and area of maize as a proportion of the total utilized agricultural area per farm(R^(2)=0.69).Conclusion Our findings suggest a general applicability of using isotopic signatures(^(13)C)along a wide gradient of site conditions and productions systems in practice.
