Collected data from the Wildlife Diet Monitoring Project on Macquarie Island

Published: 2026-07-13

This is a parent record - see the child records for access to the data. This project forms part of the long-term ecosystem monitoring program at Macquarie Island and aims to characterise the diets of marine predators using DNA metabarcoding to support long-term monitoring of the sub-Antarctic marine ecosystem. The project encompasses dietary data collected from king penguins, royal penguins, gentoo penguins, rockhopper penguins, black-browed albatrosses, Antarctic fur seals, and sub-Antarctic fur seals across multiple breeding sites and years. Sampling is ongoing as part of the long-term monitoring program, with additional datasets expected to be generated as new samples are collected and processed. Predator scat samples undergo DNA metabarcoding, including DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, and high-throughput sequencing using universal and taxon-specific genetic markers to identify prey taxa. The resulting datasets include sample metadata, dietary metrics such as frequency of occurrence (FOO) and relative read abundance (RRA), associated sequence data where applicable, and derived dietary datasets. The project supports research into the foraging ecology and dietary niches of Macquarie Island marine predators while contributing to the development of a molecular ecosystem monitoring framework for the sub-Antarctic. The resulting datasets are used to investigate trophic interactions, the effective integration of high-resolution dietary data into food-web networks and ecosystem models, identification of important prey resources and foraging niches, and monitor ecosystem change over time. Predator-specific food webs have been constructed from these dietary data, with associated ecological network metrics calculated to quantify food-web structure, trophic interactions, and temporal variation within the Macquarie Island marine ecosystem. Together, these datasets provide a long-term molecular baseline for assessing ecological change and informing ecosystem monitoring and management in the sub-Antarctic.