Predation Genetics and Bioenergetics Modeling: A Delightful Pairing

Quantifying predation is statistically challenging in locations where predatory fish, such as Striped Bass are abundant and listed species are rare, especially when their bodies quickly break down upon consumption, making them difficult to identify with traditional diet methods. Cramer Fish Sciences and Genidaqs identified fish species in the digestive tracts of Striped Bass using genetic methods that targeted very small traces of species-specific DNA sequences using quantitative PCR (qPCR). The utility of the genetics analysis will be influenced by how well the information content is compatible with Bioenergetics models, which have been extensively used to quantify individual and population level predation effects.  Predation genetics integrated into the modeling diet story is utilized in order to provide an estimate of the relative mass of listed species consumed in the region. This presentation highlights the latest research and development of qPCR and its application in field studies as a tool for resource managers to gain greater clarity in diet analyses and scale them to meaningful levels.