Dataset Information

Insects for breakfast and whales for dinner: the diet and body condition of dingoes on Fraser Island (K'gari).

ABSTRACT: Top-predators play stabilising roles in island food webs, including Fraser Island, Australia. Subsidising generalist predators with human-sourced food could disrupt this balance, but has been proposed to improve the overall health of the island's dingo (Canis lupus dingo) population, which is allegedly 'starving' or in 'poor condition'. We assess this hypothesis by describing the diet and health of dingoes on Fraser Island from datasets collected between 2001 and 2015. Medium-sized mammals (such as bandicoots) and fish were the most common food items detected in dingo scat records. Stomach contents records revealed additional information on diet, such as the occurrence of human-sourced foods. Trail camera records highlighted dingo utilisation of stranded marine fauna, particularly turtles and whales. Mean adult body weights were higher than the national average, body condition scores and abundant-excessive fat reserves indicated a generally ideal-heavy physical condition, and parasite loads were low and comparable to other dingo populations. These data do not support hypotheses that Fraser Island dingoes have restricted diets or are in poor physical condition. Rather, they indicate that dingoes on Fraser Island are capable of exploiting a diverse array of food sources which contributes to the vast majority of dingoes being of good-excellent physical condition.

SUBMITTER: Behrendorff L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4806299 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Insects for breakfast and whales for dinner: the diet and body condition of dingoes on Fraser Island (K'gari).

Behrendorff Linda L Leung Luke K-P LK McKinnon Allan A Hanger Jon J Belonje Grant G Tapply Jenna J Jones Darryl D Allen Benjamin L BL

Scientific reports 20160324

Top-predators play stabilising roles in island food webs, including Fraser Island, Australia. Subsidising generalist predators with human-sourced food could disrupt this balance, but has been proposed to improve the overall health of the island's dingo (Canis lupus dingo) population, which is allegedly 'starving' or in 'poor condition'. We assess this hypothesis by describing the diet and health of dingoes on Fraser Island from datasets collected between 2001 and 2015. Medium-sized mammals (such ...[more]

PMID: 27009879

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Project description:Background: The effects of different intake patterns of meal protein on muscle mass have not been clarified. We cross-sectionally and longitudinally examined the effect of different timing of protein intake on sarcopenia-related factors in older adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study 1 included 219 (male, n = 69, female, n = 150) elderly subjects aged ≥65 years. Subjects who consumed more protein at breakfast than at dinner were grouped into the morning group (MG, n = 76; male, n = 26; female, n = 50), and those who consumed more protein at dinner than at breakfast were grouped into the evening group (EG, n = 143; male, n = 43; female, n = 100). In cross-sectional study 2-1 (female, n = 125), the subjects were classified into four groups according to the number of meals with sufficient protein intake. In cross-sectional studies 2-2 (female, n = 125) and 2-3 (female, n = 27), the subjects were classified into eight groups and three groups according to whether they had consumed sufficient protein at three meals; sarcopenia-related factors were compared. The intervention study was a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized controlled trial that included 40 elderly women with low daily breakfast protein intake. The subjects were divided into four groups: morning protein and placebo intake groups and evening protein and placebo intake groups. Each group consumed the test food (containing 10 g milk protein) or placebo in the morning or evening for 12 weeks. Blood indices and physical function were assessed before and after the intervention. Results: Comparing all subjects, MG showed significantly higher handgrip strength than did EG (P < 0.05). The higher ratio of morning protein intake relative to the total protein intake, the better the muscle mass (r = 0.452, P < 0.05) and handgrip strength (r = 0.383, P < 0.05). The intervention study showed an increase in muscle mass with the intake of milk protein in the morning rather than in the evening (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Protein intake at breakfast might have relatively stronger effects on skeletal muscle mass than at lunch and dinner.

Dataset Information

Insects for breakfast and whales for dinner: the diet and body condition of dingoes on Fraser Island (K'gari).

Publications

Insects for breakfast and whales for dinner: the diet and body condition of dingoes on Fraser Island (K'gari).

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