Dietary Overlap of Black Rats and Native Mammals in Chilean Temperate Rainforests

Southern Chile's temperate rainforests were studied over three consecutive winters from 2022 to 2025. The dataset contains results from 165 fecal samples, pooled into 26 groups, analyzing the diet of invasive black rats and native small mammals using a multi-marker metabarcoding strategy. The research was authored by Cristian Bonacic and published on figshare in 2026.

Use Cases

• Quantifying dietary niche overlap between invasive and native species based on Pianka's and Jaccard indices mentioned in the description
• Analyzing the composition of omnivorous diets based on the 37 plant families, 9 arthropod orders, and eight vertebrate families identified
• Investigating the role of anthropogenic subsidies in invasive species diets based on the detection of processed foods and human DNA
• Modeling competitive pressure and predation risk on native small mammals in protected temperate forests

Strengths

• Data collected over three consecutive winters (2022-2025), providing temporal depth
• Dietary analysis spans 37 plant families, 9 arthropod orders, and eight vertebrate families, indicating broad taxonomic coverage
• Results are based on 165 fecal samples analyzed using a multi-marker (trnL, COI, 16S) metabarcoding strategy

Limitations

• The dataset is a 28.9 KB DOCX file, which is a very small document and may not contain the raw underlying data tables
• Row count and column-level documentation are unknown, limiting suitability assessment for direct analysis
• Results are interpreted at the pool level (21 black rat pools, 4 native-mammal pools), not at the individual sample level

Provenance

Source

figshare

Collection Method

Fecal sample collection and metabarcoding analysis using a multi-marker strategy (trnL, COI, 16S).

Time Range

Three consecutive winters between 2022 and 2025.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-14 05:38:38

Geography

Protected areas of the temperate forests of southern Chile.