Fecal DNA Metabarcoding Reveals the Diet of Asian Elephant in China During the Dry Season: Implications for Adaptation to Habitat Resources and Conservation

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is a flagship species of the tropical forest ecosystem in Asia, playing a crucial role in maintaining ecological stability. Investigating the dietary composition of Asian elephants is essential for developing effective conservation and management strategies. In this study, a total of 107 fecal samples from different Asian elephant populations in China were analyzed using chloroplast rbcL DNA metabarcoding to systematically examine the dietary composition and diversity of the species. The results show that the foraged resources of the Asian elephant encompass eight classes, 43 orders, 77 families, and 154 genera. At the order level, Poales, Fabales, Rosales, and Zingiberales have the highest proportions, whereas at the family level, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Moraceae, and Musaceae dominate. Diversity and ecological niche width analyses indicate that there are differences among populations, with geographical variations in diet that are likely related to the availability of habitat resources. This study reveals the dietary composition and differences among different populations of Asian elephants, providing important scientific evidence and practical guidance for optimizing the food structure of captive populations and the development of food resource bases.