Using Dietary Composition of Arboreal Tiger Beetles in the Philippine Tropical Forest as Bioindicators of Terrestrial Biodiversity (by Dale Ann Acal)

By Dale Ann Acal, PhD Candidate in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology and Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz in Lodz, Poland and 2023 eDNA Collaborative Microgrant recipient

In this research, we focus on the arboreal tiger beetles. These forest-dwelling beetles are voracious predators found in tropical regions and serve as an ideal model group representing other species due to their significance as bioindicators. Despite their vital role in terrestrial biodiversity, they have been overlooked in biological surveys, hindering a comprehensive understanding of their ecology.

Field study in the Philippine tropical forest, capturing tiger beetles in their natural habitat and examining their gut contents during dissection.

By using environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis, we would like to explore the dietary composition of various tiger beetle species. Through this innovative approach, we investigate the coexistence patterns between tiger beetles and determine their prey preferences to have a better understanding of their ecological roles and interactions. Understanding how closely related species coexist and share habitats is important for effective conservation management and ecological stability, especially amidst the rapid environmental changes that threaten these vulnerable habitats.

This microgrant is a great opportunity to enhance my ability to handle, analyze and interpret eDNA datasets and apply advanced multivariate analysis to identify patterns and relationships within the data.