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publications
The method
We are still in the process of publishing a paper describing our new molecular method for determining koala diet composition from faeces in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. In the meantime, you can find a preprint describing the approach at BioRXiv (pronounced "Bio-archive"). The paper shows that regular faecal molecular methods for diet composition analysis, like the use of barcoding genes, don't work for animals that eat Eucalypts, and explains how and why we developed our approach. It also includes examples of diet composition analysis from our study sites at Mountain Lagoon (Blue Mountains, NSW) and Aireys Inlet (Victoria)
Michaela D. J. Blyton, Kylie L. Brice, Katarzyna Heller-Uszynska, Jack Pascoe, Damian Jaccoud, Kellie A. Leigh and Ben D. Moore (2023). A new genetic method for diet determination from faeces that provides species-level resolution in the koala. BioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.02.12.528172
Michaela D. J. Blyton, Kylie L. Brice, Katarzyna Heller-Uszynska, Jack Pascoe, Damian Jaccoud, Kellie A. Leigh and Ben D. Moore (2023). A new genetic method for diet determination from faeces that provides species-level resolution in the koala. BioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.02.12.528172
Applications
Most recently, we have applied our faecal molecular method for analysis of koala diet composition to scat samples contributed by researchers, carers and members of the public from throughout Queensland. For this, our most ambitious project so far, we developed a comprehensive marker panel, using DNA from more than 700 trees of about 100 species. Previously, we have undertaken several smaller studies using marker panels developed for more restricted localities.
Understanding how koala diets respond to translocation
We used our method to analyse the diets of Victorian koalas that were translocated from an overbrowsed site at Cape Otway to Aireys Inlet, and of koalas that remained at Cape Otway. We found that koalas generally expanded their diet to include new species after translocation. Fascinatingly, however, what the translocated koala ate was partly affected by the composition of their gut microbiomes.
Blyton, M. D. J., J. Pascoe, E. Hynes, R. M. Soo, P. Hugenholtz, and B. D. Moore. 2023. The koala gut microbiome is largely unaffected by host translocation but rather influences host diet. Frontiers in Microbiology 14.
Understanding koala diets in the context of logging
We received funding from the Natural Resources Commission, NSW, to understand what tree species koalas were feeding from in northeast NSW. Our findings from that project contributed to understanding how logging can affect the nutrition of koalas and are now informing decisions about what are the most important habitat attributes to reserve for koalas. The work is described in sections of these reports (these links download pdf versions of the reports):
https://www.nrc.nsw.gov.au/Final%20report%20-%20Koala%20research%20program%20-%20December%202022%20v2.1.pdf?downloadable=1
https://www.nrc.nsw.gov.au/Research%20note%20-%20Koalas%20and%20forestry%20on%20the%20NSW%20north%20coast%20-%20May%202023.pdf?downloadable=1
Understanding how koala diets respond to translocation
We used our method to analyse the diets of Victorian koalas that were translocated from an overbrowsed site at Cape Otway to Aireys Inlet, and of koalas that remained at Cape Otway. We found that koalas generally expanded their diet to include new species after translocation. Fascinatingly, however, what the translocated koala ate was partly affected by the composition of their gut microbiomes.
Blyton, M. D. J., J. Pascoe, E. Hynes, R. M. Soo, P. Hugenholtz, and B. D. Moore. 2023. The koala gut microbiome is largely unaffected by host translocation but rather influences host diet. Frontiers in Microbiology 14.
Understanding koala diets in the context of logging
We received funding from the Natural Resources Commission, NSW, to understand what tree species koalas were feeding from in northeast NSW. Our findings from that project contributed to understanding how logging can affect the nutrition of koalas and are now informing decisions about what are the most important habitat attributes to reserve for koalas. The work is described in sections of these reports (these links download pdf versions of the reports):
https://www.nrc.nsw.gov.au/Final%20report%20-%20Koala%20research%20program%20-%20December%202022%20v2.1.pdf?downloadable=1
https://www.nrc.nsw.gov.au/Research%20note%20-%20Koalas%20and%20forestry%20on%20the%20NSW%20north%20coast%20-%20May%202023.pdf?downloadable=1
