التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
| العنوان: |
The Utility of the Koala Scat: A Scoping Review. |
| المؤلفون: |
Johnston, Stephen D., Hulse, Lyndal, Keeley, Tamara, Mucci, Albano, Seddon, Jennifer, Maynard, Sam |
| المصدر: |
Biology (2079-7737); Jul2024, Vol. 13 Issue 7, p523, 13p |
| مصطلحات موضوعية: |
ANIMAL populations, KOALA, ECOLOGICAL assessment, GENETIC variation, SEX ratio |
| مستخلص: |
Simple Summary: This review reports on the current and potential utility of the "koala scat" sample to provide a range of ecological and physiological assessments both at the population and individual animal level and do so in a non-invasive manner. DNA recovered from the scat sample provides useful information on koala distribution, diet, genetics and disease, whereas hormone metabolites can inform physiology. While there are still limitations with respect to the decay of quality DNA (host, microbiome, and pathogen) over time related to climate and sample handling, some of these issues can be overcome with timely sample collection. Other current limitations include an inability to detect and quantify particular hormone metabolites such as oestrogens and/or an appropriate biological interpretation of glucocorticoid metabolite secretion when measured in the faecal sample. The use of samples or scats to provide important ecological, genetic, disease and physiology details on free-range populations is gaining popularity as an alternative non-invasive methodology. Koala populations in SE Queensland and NSW have recently been listed as endangered and continue to face anthropomorphic and stochastic environmental impacts that could potentially lead to their extinction. This scoping review examines the current and potential utility of the koala scat to contribute data relevant to the assessment of koala conservation status and decision making. Although we demonstrate that there is great potential for this methodology in providing details for both individual wild animal and population biology (distribution, abundance, sex ratio, immigration/emigration, genetic diversity, evolutionary significant unit, disease epidemiology, nutrition, reproductive status and stress physiology), the calibre of this information is likely to be a function of the quality of the scat that is sampled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| قاعدة البيانات: |
Complementary Index |
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