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Mnemiopsis leidyi gut content extraction for the purpose of molecular analysis

van Harten, M.R. (2016) Mnemiopsis leidyi gut content extraction for the purpose of molecular analysis. Research Project 1 (minor thesis), Marine Biology.

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Abstract

For ecological impact assessments of invasive species accurate dietary analyses are required. In the case of diet assessments on Mnemiopsis leidyi discrepancies between the assumed generalistic diet and the environment was found. Previous studies relied on visual identification of prey species, and soft bodied prey types were underrepresented or absent in the diet while numerous in the environment. This study develops a molecular diet analysis to study if selection takes place or if visual identification is hampered by visual diet assessments. This was tested with bivalve veligers as they are easy to identify both visually and molecularly. It was found that almost all Mnemiopsis leidyi stomachs contained bivalve DNA while only in 70% veligers were identified visually. It was concluded that molecular analysis of gut contents can be used to aid in the strengthening of dietary impact assessments.

Item Type: Thesis (Research Project 1 (minor thesis))
Degree programme: Marine Biology
Thesis type: Research Project 1 (minor thesis)
Language: English
Date Deposited: 15 Feb 2018 08:11
Last Modified: 15 Feb 2018 08:11
URI: https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/13770

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