生物学杂志

Journal of Biology ›› 2026, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (3): 74-.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-1736.2026.03.074

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Dietary habits and gastric fungal composition of four sympatric small mammal species in the Yunlong region: a DNA metabarcoding analysis

Studying the environmental adaptation strategies and coexistence mechanisms of sympatric species is of great significance for the development of community ecology theory. In this study, DNA metabarcoding technology was used to analyze the diets and gastric fungi of four sympatric small mammal species in the Yunlong region of Dali. Food diversity, niche breadth, niche overlap and fungal function were analyzed and compared. The results showed that the trophic niche overlap betweenTupaia belangeriandApodemus chevrieriwas high, reaching 52%. This was attributed to differences in their activity rhythms, resulting in obvious temporal niche differentiation. However, the other species exhibited separation in food resource utilization and fungal metabolic function, indicating clear trophic niche differentiation. The above results indicated that the four species reduced interspecific competition through niche differentiation to achieve long-term sympatric coexistence. Among them,A. chevrieriexhibited the narrowest range of food resource utilization among the four species, suggesting weaker adaptability in this environment and potentially lower competitive ability in future evolution. The remaining three species have each developed their own unique adaptation strategies. This study provided a theoretical basis for understanding the mechanisms maintaining species diversity among small mammals in Yunlong, Dali, and offered a reference for rodent ecological management in this area.   

  1. School of Life Sciences, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, China
  • Online:2026-06-18 Published:2026-06-16

Abstract: Studying the environmental adaptation strategies and coexistence mechanisms of sympatric species is of great significance for the development of community ecology theory. In this study, DNA metabarcoding technology was used to analyze the diets and gastric fungi of four sympatric small mammal species in the Yunlong region of Dali. Food diversity, niche breadth, niche overlap and fungal function were analyzed and compared. The results showed that the trophic niche overlap betweenTupaia belangeriandApodemus chevrieriwas high, reaching 52%. This was attributed to differences in their activity rhythms, resulting in obvious temporal niche differentiation. However, the other species exhibited separation in food resource utilization and fungal metabolic function, indicating clear trophic niche differentiation. The above results indicated that the four species reduced interspecific competition through niche differentiation to achieve long-term sympatric coexistence. Among them,A. chevrieriexhibited the narrowest range of food resource utilization among the four species, suggesting weaker adaptability in this environment and potentially lower competitive ability in future evolution. The remaining three species have each developed their own unique adaptation strategies. This study provided a theoretical basis for understanding the mechanisms maintaining species diversity among small mammals in Yunlong, Dali, and offered a reference for rodent ecological management in this area.

Key words: sympatric distribution, dietary habits, trophic niche, gastric fungi, DNA metabarcoding

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