Fecal DNA metabarcoding-derived diets of deer in Sweden
Data files
Oct 23, 2025 version files 2.50 MB
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CervidDiets_Sweden_fecDNAmb.xlsx
2.49 MB
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README.md
1.05 KB
Abstract
The dataset comprises 2,568 diet samples from four deer species: 1,080 moose (Alces alces), 329 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 666 red deer (Cervus elaphus), and 493 fallow deer (Dama dama). These diets were analyzed using fecal DNA metabarcoding with the primer pair Sper01_F and Sper01_R, which amplify the P6-loop of the chloroplast trnL intron. Diet composition is represented by relative read abundances (RRA) across 210 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs). Samples were collected from two landscapes in Sweden—BN (boreo-nemoral) and CB (coastal-boreal)—between 2015 and 2017.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.0cfxpnwdd
Description of the data and file structure
This dataset contains 2,568 fecal DNA metabarcoding-derived diet profiles from four Swedish deer species—moose, roe deer, red deer, and fallow deer—collected between 2015 and 2017. Using primers Sper01_F/R, targeting the chloroplast trnL P6-loop, diets are represented as relative read abundances (RRA) across 210 MOTUs. Samples were collected from two landscapes: BN (boreo-nemoral) and CB (coastal-boreal).
Files and variables
File: CervidDiets_Sweden_fecDNAmb.xlsx
Description: Diet data from four deer species in Sweden
Variables
- Sample_No. (1 - 2,586)
- Tract_ID (tract number where fecal samples were collected)
- Area (BN: boreo-nemoral, CB: coastal-boreal)
- Season
- Month (collection month)
- Year (collection year)
- Deer_species (Alces alces, Capreolus capreolus, Cervus elaphus, Dama dama)
- 210 columns denoting the MOTUs in the diets