What molecular technique is unlocking secrets about Zokors' diet by analyzing stomach contents?
Answer
DNA metabarcoding
The traditional methods for understanding zokor diets, such as examining stored food caches or observing captive animals, were prone to seasonal or diversity bias because the animals spend most of their lives deep underground. The advent of DNA metabarcoding has provided a modern molecular approach allowing researchers to analyze stomach contents directly. This technique uses high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to identify the DNA fragments present, offering a much clearer and less biased assessment of the actual ingested material, thereby unlocking previously hidden dietary specifics.
Related Questions
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