Grant Award View - GA66322

A key component of ecosystem monitoring programs that aim to support the maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem function is sound knowledge of species composition and food web linkages. This information provides a foundation for assessing ecosystem changes and can allow causal links to be clarified (e.g. interactions between marine predators and fishery resources). This project will develop a marine ecosystem monitoring framework using top predator scat DNA to assess species biodiversity in the Subantarctic. By simultaneously studying the diet of a range of predators, we will resolve food web linkages and investigate the use of quantitative models integrating DNA sequence datasets. Through the collection of baseline dietary data and new robust dietary information, we will provide a sound foundation for future monitoring programs to measure changes in species diversity and identify species that may be at risk from fishery engagement.