Scientists unravel how elephant families avoid food competition with one another — and it's something to do with their clever dinner choices.
Previous research conducted by two of the study's authors, George Wittemyer from Colorado State University and Thure Cerling from the University of Utah, revealed that elephants change their diet from fresh grasses to trees depending on the rainy or dry seasons.
Scientists in the new study addressed this gap by using a modern genetic method called DNA metabarcoding to study how social groups, like families, choose what to eat. Researchers could identify the makeup of biological samples by comparingAccording to Kartzinel, this study marks the first time DNA metabarcoding has been used to explore the long-term question of social foraging ecology.
This study tackles a long-standing puzzle in wildlife ecology, as explained by Kartzinel: "How do social bonds hold family groups together in a world of limited resources?"
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