FRONT ECOL ENVIRON Yao Meng and Li Sheng's research team reported a new idea of ​​using small and medium-sized carnivores such as leopard cats as biodiversity "collectors"

On September 7, 2021, the research group of Yao Meng and Li Sheng from the School of Life Sciences of Peking University and Peking University’s Ecological Research Center published a study titled "Generalist carnivores can be effective biodiversity samplers of terrestrial vertebrates" in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment Thesis

The target species (leopard cats and red foxes) and the distribution of sample collection points (mountains: TH-Taihang Mountain, QL-Qinling Mountain, MS-Min Mountain, QO-Qonglai Mountain, SL-Shaluli Mountain)

The taxa composition of vertebrate prey (food) species contained in the stool samples of 5 mountain leopard cats

The rapid loss of global biodiversity will seriously affect the functions and services of ecosystems

In terrestrial ecosystems, small and medium-sized carnivores usually adopt opportunistic and flexible feeding strategies, and have strong habitat adaptability, large populations, and easy access to fecal samples

Shao Xinning (right) and Lu Qi (left), the first and second authors of the paper, collect samples and record information in the field

Yao Meng (left) and Li Sheng (right) collect fecal samples in Yajiang, Sichuan

Yao Meng and Li Sheng are the co-corresponding authors of this paper

Original link: http://doi.

Yao Meng:

Associate Researcher of Zhao Jindong Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Peking University Ecological Research Center

Laboratory research areas:

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Li Sheng:

Researcher, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Peking University Ecological Research Center

Laboratory research areas:

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