University of Haifa, Dept of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology Tivon, Israel
Abstract: Large mammalian herbivores (LMH) frequently encounter plant-dwelling arthropods (PDA) on their food plants. Yet, ingestion
of PDA by LMH is only rarely addressed. Using a DNA-metabarcoding analysis on feces of free-ranging cattle in grassland ecosystem and goats in the Mediterranean maquis,
we reveal that LMH (incidentally) ingest a complex food chain of PDA including herbivores, predators and parasites. We identified the functional groups of PDA vulnerable to ingestion, such as sessile species and immature life stages. Most of the fecal samples contained sequences belonging to PDA, indicating that direct interactions are frequent. This study highlights the complex
trophic connections between LMH and PDA. It may even be appropriate to consider LMH as omnivorous enemies of PDA.
