DNA sequencing of Hoary Marmot (M. caligata) stomach contents through metabarcoding

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Casner, Danny
Casner, Monica
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URI
http://hdl.handle.net/11122/15914
Description
Mentor: Dr. Diana Wolf; This poster presents our results from using metabarcoding DNA to examine diets of alpine and coastal Hoary marmots. Hoary marmots (Marmota caligata) are herbivores distributed widely throughout alpine habitats from southern Washington, Idaho, and Montana north to the Yukon River in Central Alaska. In Southeast Alaska, however, they are also found at sea level. As the tree line rises in elevation in response to climate change, alpine habitats are expected to shrink. Most hoary marmots occupy alpine tundra and rocky talus. There is an ecological knowledge gap on the diet of M. caligata, including comparing diet at sea level with alpine forage. Determining diet is key to understanding hoary marmots’ ability to thrive on a changing landscape. Alpine-dwelling marmots are thought to feed on grasses, flowering plants, mosses, roots, and lichen. As of yet, we know nothing about the diet of beach-dwelling marmots. We used DNA sequencing (metabarcoding) of M. caligata stomach contents to identify and compare their diets in alpine and sea-level habitats. Our results will help to fill in critical knowledge gaps in hoary marmot ecology and address hoary marmots’ potential resilience to changing climate.
Date
2025-04-01
Type
Poster
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