The fate of carbon in a mature forest under carbon dioxide enrichment.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide enrichment (eCO2) can enhance plant carbon uptake and growth1-5, thereby providing an important negative feedback to climate change by slowing the rate of increase of the atmospheric CO2 concentration6. Although evidence gathered from young aggrading forests has generally indicated a strong CO2 fertilization effect on biomass growth3-5, it is unclear whether mature forests respond to eCO2 in a similar way. In mature trees and forest stands7-10, photosynthetic uptake has been found to increase under eCO2 without any apparent accompanying growth response, leaving the fate of additional carbon fixed under eCO2 unclear4,5,7-11. Here using data from the first ecosystem-scale Free-Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experiment in a mature forest, we constructed a comprehensive ecosystem carbon budget to track the fate of carbon as the forest responded to four years of eCO2 exposure. We show that, although the eCO2 treatment of +150 parts per million (+38 per cent) above ambient levels induced a 12 per cent (+247 grams of carbon per square metre per year) increase in carbon uptake through gross primary production, this additional carbon uptake did not lead to increased carbon sequestration at the ecosystem level. Instead, the majority of the extra carbon was emitted back into the atmosphere via several respiratory fluxes, with increased soil respiration alone accounting for half of the total uptake surplus. Our results call into question the predominant thinking that the capacity of forests to act as carbon sinks will be generally enhanced under eCO2, and challenge the efficacy of climate mitigation strategies that rely on ubiquitous CO2 fertilization as a driver of increased carbon sinks in global forests.

Geographic patterns of koala retrovirus genetic diversity, endogenization, and subtype distributions.

Koala retrovirus (KoRV) subtype A (KoRV-A) is currently in transition from exogenous virus to endogenous viral element, providing an ideal system to elucidate retroviral-host coevolution. We characterized KoRV geography using fecal DNA from 192 samples across 20 populations throughout the koala's range. We reveal an abrupt change in KoRV genetics and incidence at the Victoria/New South Wales state border. In northern koalas, pol gene copies were ubiquitously present at above five per cell, consistent with endogenous KoRV. In southern koalas, pol copies were detected in only 25.8% of koalas and always at copy numbers below one, while the env gene was detected in all animals and in a majority at copy numbers above one per cell. These results suggest that southern koalas carry partial endogenous KoRV-like sequences. Deep sequencing of the env hypervariable region revealed three putatively endogenous KoRV-A sequences in northern koalas and a single, distinct sequence present in all southern koalas. Among northern populations, env sequence diversity decreased with distance from the equator, suggesting infectious KoRV-A invaded the koala genome in northern Australia and then spread south. The exogenous KoRV subtypes (B to K), two novel subtypes, and intermediate subtypes were detected in all northern koala populations but were strikingly absent from all southern animals tested. Apart from KoRV subtype D, these exogenous subtypes were generally locally prevalent but geographically restricted, producing KoRV genetic differentiation among northern populations. This suggests that sporadic evolution and local transmission of the exogenous subtypes have occurred within northern Australia, but this has not extended into animals within southern Australia.

Rapid quantification of biological nitrogen fixation using optical spectroscopy.

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) provides a globally important input of nitrogen (N); its quantification is critical but technically challenging. Leaf reflectance spectroscopy offers a more rapid approach than traditional techniques to measure plant N concentration ([N]) and isotopes (δ15N). Here we present a novel method for rapidly and inexpensively quantifying BNF using optical spectroscopy. We measured plant [N], δ15N, and the amount of N derived from atmospheric fixation (Ndfa) following the standard traditional methodology using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) from tissues grown under controlled conditions and taken from field experiments. Using the same tissues, we predicted the same three parameters using optical spectroscopy. By comparing the optical spectroscopy-derived results with traditional measurements (i.e. IRMS), the amount of Ndfa predicted by optical spectroscopy was highly comparable to IRMS-based quantification, with R2 being 0.90 (slope=0.90) and 0.94 (slope=1.02) (root mean square error for predicting legume δ15N was 0.38 and 0.43) for legumes grown in glasshouse and field, respectively. This novel application of optical spectroscopy facilitates BNF studies because it is rapid, scalable, low cost, and complementary to existing technologies. Moreover, the proposed method successfully captures the dynamic response of BNF to climate changes such as warming and drought.

Maternal inheritance of the koala gut microbiome and its compositional and functional maturation during juvenile development.

The acquisition and maturation of the gastrointestinal microbiome is a crucial aspect of mammalian development, particularly for specialist herbivores such as the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). Joey koalas are thought to be inoculated with microorganisms by feeding on specialized maternal faeces (pap). We found that compared to faeces, pap has higher microbial density, higher microbial evenness and a higher proportion of rare taxa, which may facilitate the establishment of those taxa in joey koalas. We show that the microbiomes of captive joey koalas were on average more similar to those of their mothers than to other koalas, indicating strong maternal inheritance of the faecal microbiome, which can lead to intergenerational gut dysbiosis when the mother is ill. Directly after pap feeding, the joey koalas' microbiomes were enriched for milk-associated bacteria including Bacteroides fragilis, suggesting a conserved role for this species across mammalian taxa. The joeys' microbiomes then changed slowly over 5 months to resemble those of adults by 1 year of age. The relative abundance of fibrolytic bacteria and genes involved in the degradation of plant cell walls also increased in the infants over this time, likely in response to an increased proportion of Eucalyptus leaves in their diets.

Characterization of the juvenile koala gut microbiome across wild populations.

In this study we compared the faecal microbiomes of wild joey koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) to those of adults, including their mothers, to establish whether gut microbiome maturation and inheritance in the wild is comparable to that seen in captivity. Our findings suggest that joey koala microbiomes slowly shift towards an adult assemblage between 6 and 12 months of age, as the microbiomes of 9-month-old joeys were more similar to those of adults than those of 7-month-olds, but still distinct. At the phylum level, differences between joeys and adults were broadly consistent with those in captivity, with Firmicutes increasing in relative abundance over the joeys' development and Proteobacteria decreasing. Of the fibre-degrading genes that increased in abundance over the development of captive joeys, those involved in hemicellulose and cellulose degradation, but not pectin degradation, were also generally found in higher abundance in adult wild koalas compared to 7-month-olds. Greater maternal inheritance of the faecal microbiome was seen in wild than in captive koalas, presumably due to the more solitary nature of wild koalas. This strong maternal inheritance of the gut microbiome could contribute to the development of localized differences in microbiome composition, population health and diet through spatial clustering of relatives.

Fundamental dietary specialisation explains differential use of resources within a koala population.

The diets of individual animals within populations can differ, but few studies determine whether this is due to fundamental differences in preferences or capacities to eat specific foods, or to external influences such as dominance hierarchies or spatial variation in food availability. The distinction is important because different drivers of dietary specialisation are likely to have different impacts on the way in which animal populations respond to, for example, habitat modification. We used a captive feeding study to investigate the mechanisms driving individual dietary specialisation in a population of wild koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in which individuals predominantly ate either Eucalyptus viminalis or Eucalyptus obliqua foliage. All six koalas that primarily ate E. viminalis in the wild avoided eating E. obliqua for more than 1 month in captivity. In contrast, all seven koalas that primarily ate E. obliqua could be maintained exclusively on this species in captivity, although they ate less from individual trees with higher foliar concentrations of unsubstituted B-ring flavanones (UBFs). Our results show that fundamental differences between individual animals allow some to exploit food resources that are less suitable for others. This could reduce competition for food, increase habitat carrying capacity, and is also likely to buffer the population against extinction in the face of habitat modification. The occurrence of fundamental individual specialisation within animal populations could also affect the perceived conservation value of different habitats, translocation or reintroduction success, and population dynamics. It should therefore be further investigated in other mammalian herbivore species.

When resistance is futile, tolerate instead: silicon promotes plant compensatory growth when attacked by above- and belowground herbivores.

Plants have evolved numerous herbivore defences that are resistance- or tolerance-based. Resistance involves physical and chemical traits that deter and/or harm herbivores whereas tolerance minimizes fitness costs of herbivory, often via compensatory growth. The Poaceae frequently accumulate large amounts of silicon (Si), which can be used for herbivore resistance, including biomechanical and (indirectly) biochemical defences. To date, it is unclear whether Si improves tolerance of herbivory. Here we report how Si enabled a cereal (Triticum aestivum) to tolerate damage inflicted by above- and belowground herbivores. Leaf herbivory increased Si concentrations in the leaves by greater than 50% relative to herbivore-free plants, indicating it was an inducible defensive response. In plants without Si supplementation, leaf herbivory reduced shoot biomass by 52% and root herbivory reduced root biomass by 68%. Si supplementation, however, facilitated compensatory growth such that shoot losses were more than compensated for (+14% greater than herbivore-free plants) and root losses were minimized to -16%. Si supplementation did not improve plant resistance since Si did not enhance biomechanical resistance (i.e. force of fracture) or reduce leaf consumption and herbivore relative growth rates. We propose that Si-based defence operates in wheat via tolerance either in addition or as an alternative to resistance-based defence.

Ingestion and Absorption of Eucalypt Monoterpenes in the Specialist Feeder, the Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus).

The koala is a specialist feeder with a diet consisting almost exclusively of potentially toxic eucalypt leaves. Monoterpenes, an abundant class of plant secondary metabolites in eucalypts, are highly lipophilic. Chronic absorption and systemic exposure can be anticipated for the koala, causing health effects in various ways when consumed in high amounts, but particularly causing alterations in immune function in this species. Therefore, careful leaf selection, efficient detoxification pathways, and other specialist adaptations are required to protect animals from acute intoxication. This is the first paper providing insight into the systemic exposure of koalas to these compounds. Profiles of six selected major monoterpenes were investigated in the ingesta of deceased koalas from four different regions of NSW and South-East Queensland. Concentrations of the same compounds were measured in lymphoid tissues of deceased koalas and in the blood of live koalas from other regions of NSW. Analytical methods included liquid extraction and solid-phase micro-extraction, followed by gas-chromatography/ mass-spectrometry. Concentrations in the ingesta of individual animals vary remarkably, though the average proportions of individual monoterpenes in the ingesta of animals from the four different regions are highly comparable. Blood concentrations of the selected monoterpenes also varied considerably. The highest blood concentrations were found for 1,8-cineole, up to 971 ng/ml. There was similarity between circulating monoterpene profiles and ingesta profiles. Based on the observed lack of similarity between blood and lymph tissue concentrations, individual monoterpenes either exhibit different affinities for lymphatic tissue compared to blood or their accumulation in blood and lymph tissue differs temporally. In general, blood monoterpene concentrations found in koalas were low compared to those reported in other marsupial eucalypt feeders, but significant concentrations of monoterpenes were detected in all samples analysed. This data on blood and lymphatic tissue monoterpene concentrations builds the fundamental groundwork for future research into the effects of dietary monoterpenes on various biological processes of specialist herbivores and into the significance of these animals' metabolic and behavioural strategies for coping with these compounds. We have shown that the systemic exposure of koalas to potentially anti-inflammatory eucalypt monoterpenes is continuous, and we provide data on physiological concentrations which will allow realistic future studies of the effects of monoterpenes on immune cell function.

Silicon uptake by a pasture grass experiencing simulated grazing is greatest under elevated precipitation.

BACKGROUND: Grasses are hyper-accumulators of silicon (Si) and often up-regulate Si following herbivory. Positive correlations exist between Si and plant water content, yet the extent to which Si uptake responses can be mediated by changes in soil water availability has rarely been studied and never, to our knowledge, under field conditions. We used field-based rain-exclusion shelters to investigate how simulated grazing (shoot clipping) and altered rainfall patterns (drought and elevated precipitation, representing 50% and 150% of ambient precipitation levels, respectively) affected initial patterns of root- and shoot-Si uptake in a native Australian grass (Microlaena stipoides) in Si-supplemented and untreated soils. RESULTS: Si supplementation increased soil water retention under ambient and elevated precipitation but not under drought, although this had little effect on Si uptake and growth (tiller numbers or root biomass) of M. stipoides. Changes in rainfall patterns and clipping had strong individual effects on plant growth and Si uptake and storage, whereby clipping increased Si uptake by M. stipoides under all rainfall treatments but to the greatest extent under elevated precipitation. Moreover, above-ground-below-ground Si distribution only changed following elevated precipitation by decreasing the ratio of root:shoot Si concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Results highlight the importance of soil water availability for Si uptake and suggest a role for both active and passive Si transport mechanisms. Such manipulative field studies may provide a more realistic insight into how grasses initially respond to herbivory in terms of Si-based defence under different environmental conditions.

Shrub encroachment is linked to extirpation of an apex predator.

The abundance of shrubs has increased throughout Earth's arid lands. This 'shrub encroachment' has been linked to livestock grazing, fire-suppression and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations facilitating shrub recruitment. Apex predators initiate trophic cascades which can influence the abundance of many species across multiple trophic levels within ecosystems. Extirpation of apex predators is linked inextricably to pastoralism, but has not been considered as a factor contributing to shrub encroachment. Here, we ask if trophic cascades triggered by the extirpation of Australia's largest terrestrial predator, the dingo (Canis dingo), could be a driver of shrub encroachment in the Strzelecki Desert, Australia. We use aerial photographs spanning a 51-year period to compare shrub cover between areas where dingoes are historically rare and common. We then quantify contemporary patterns of shrub, shrub seedling and mammal abundances, and use structural equation modelling to compare competing trophic cascade hypotheses to explain how dingoes could influence shrub recruitment. Finally, we track the fate of seedlings of an encroaching shrub, hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa angustissima), during a period optimal for seedling recruitment, and quantify removal rates of hopbush seeds by rodents from enriched seed patches. Shrub cover was 26-48% greater in areas where dingoes were rare than common. Our structural equation modelling supported the hypothesis that dingo removal facilitates shrub encroachment by triggering a four level trophic cascade. According to this model, increased mesopredator abundance in the absence of dingoes results in suppressed abundance of consumers of shrub seeds and seedlings, rodents and rabbits respectively. In turn, suppressed abundances of rodents and rabbits in the absence of dingoes relaxed a recruitment bottleneck for shrubs. The results of our SEM were supported by results showing that rates of hopbush seedling survival and seed removal were 1·7 times greater and 2·1 times lower in areas where dingoes were rare than common. Our study provides evidence linking the suppression of an apex predator to the historic encroachment of shrubs. We contend that trophic cascades induced by apex predator extirpation may be an overlooked driver of shrub encroachment.

Insect herbivory in a mature Eucalyptus woodland canopy depends on leaf phenology but not CO2 enrichment.

BACKGROUND: Climate change factors such as elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations (e[CO2]) and altered rainfall patterns can alter leaf composition and phenology. This may subsequently impact insect herbivory. In sclerophyllous forests insects have developed strategies, such as preferentially feeding on new leaf growth, to overcome physical or foliar nitrogen constraints, and this may shift under climate change. Few studies of insect herbivory at elevated [CO2] have occurred under field conditions and none on mature evergreen trees in a naturally established forest, yet estimates for leaf area loss due to herbivory are required in order to allow accurate predictions of plant productivity in future climates. Here, we assessed herbivory in the upper canopy of mature Eucalyptus tereticornis trees at the nutrient-limited Eucalyptus free-air CO2 enrichment (EucFACE) experiment during the first 19 months of CO2 enrichment. The assessment of herbivory extended over two consecutive spring-summer periods, with a first survey during four months of the [CO2] ramp-up phase after which full [CO2] operation was maintained, followed by a second survey period from months 13 to 19. RESULTS: Throughout the first 2 years of EucFACE, young, expanding leaves sustained significantly greater damage from insect herbivory (between 25 and 32 % leaf area loss) compared to old or fully expanded leaves (less than 2 % leaf area loss). This preference of insect herbivores for young expanding leaves combined with discontinuous production of new foliage, which occurred in response to rainfall, resulted in monthly variations in leaf herbivory. In contrast to the significant effects of rainfall-driven leaf phenology, elevated [CO2] had no effect on leaf consumption or preference of insect herbivores for different leaf age classes. CONCLUSIONS: In the studied nutrient-limited natural Eucalyptus woodland, herbivory contributes to a significant loss of young foliage. Leaf phenology is a significant factor that determines the level of herbivory experienced in this evergreen sclerophyllous woodland system, and may therefore also influence the population dynamics of insect herbivores. Furthermore, leaf phenology appears more strongly impacted by rainfall patterns than by e[CO2]. e[CO2] responses of herbivores on mature trees may only become apparent after extensive CO2 fumigation periods.

Amino acid-mediated impacts of elevated carbon dioxide and simulated root herbivory on aphids are neutralized by increased air temperatures.

Changes in host plant quality, including foliar amino acid concentrations, resulting from global climate change and attack from multiple herbivores, have the potential to modify the pest status of insect herbivores. This study investigated how mechanically simulated root herbivory of lucerne (Medicago sativa) before and after aphid infestation affected the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) under elevated temperature (eT) and carbon dioxide concentrations (eCO2). eT increased plant height and biomass, and eCO2 decreased root C:N. Foliar amino acid concentrations and aphid numbers increased in response to eCO2, but only at ambient temperatures, demonstrating the ability of eT to negate the effects of eCO2. Root damage reduced aboveground biomass, height, and root %N, and increased root %C and C:N, most probably via decreased biological nitrogen fixation. Total foliar amino acid concentrations and aphid colonization success were higher in plants with roots cut early (before aphid arrival) than those with roots cut late (after aphid arrival); however, this effect was counteracted by eT. These results demonstrate the importance of amino acid concentrations for aphids and identify individual amino acids as being potential factors underpinning aphid responses to eT, eCO2, and root damage in lucerne. Incorporating trophic complexity and multiple climatic factors into plant-herbivore studies enables greater insight into how plants and insects will interact in the future, with implications for sustainable pest control and future crop security.

Responses of leaf beetle larvae to elevated [CO2] and temperature depend on Eucalyptus species.

It is essential to understand the combined effects of elevated [CO2] and temperature on insect herbivores when attempting to forecast climate change responses of diverse ecosystems. Plant species differ in foliar chemistry, and this may result in idiosyncratic plant-mediated responses of insect herbivores at elevated [CO2] and temperature. We measured the response of the eucalypt leaf beetle Paropsis atomaria (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) feeding on Eucalyptus tereticornis and Eucalyptus robusta. Seedlings were grown at ambient (400 µmol mol(-1)) or elevated (640 µmol mol(-1)) [CO2] and ambient (26/18 °C day/night) or elevated (ambient + 4 °C) temperature in a greenhouse for 7 months. Larvae fed on flush leaves from egg hatch to pupation while being directly exposed to these conditions. Elevated [CO2] reduced foliar [N] and [P], while it increased total nonstructural carbohydrates and the C:N ratio. Elevated temperature increased foliar [N] in E. robusta but not E. tereticornis. Plant-mediated effects of elevated [CO2] reduced female pupal weight and increased developmental time and leaf consumption. Larval survival at elevated [CO2] was impacted differently by the two host plant species; survival increased on E. robusta while it decreased on E. tereticornis. Elevated temperature accelerated larval development but did not impact other insect parameters. We did not detect a CO2 × temperature interaction, suggesting that elevated temperature as a combined direct and plant-mediated effect may not be able to ameliorate the negative plant-mediated effects of elevated [CO2] on insect herbivores. Our study highlighted host-plant-specific responses of insect herbivores to climate change factors that resulted in host-plant-specific survival.

Explaining intraspecific diversity in plant secondary metabolites in an ecological context.

Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) are ubiquitous in plants and play many ecological roles. Each compound can vary in presence and/or quantity, and the composition of the mixture of chemicals can vary, such that chemodiversity can be partitioned within and among individuals. Plant ontogeny and environmental and genetic variation are recognized as sources of chemical variation, but recent advances in understanding the molecular basis of variation may allow the future deployment of isogenic mutants to test the specific adaptive function of variation in PSMs. An important consequence of high intraspecific variation is the capacity to evolve rapidly. It is becoming increasingly clear that trait variance linked to both macro- and micro-environmental variation can also evolve and may respond more strongly to selection than mean trait values. This research, which is in its infancy in plants, highlights what could be a missing piece of the picture of PSM evolution. PSM polymorphisms are probably maintained by multiple selective forces acting across many spatial and temporal scales, but convincing examples that recognize the diversity of plant population structures are rare. We describe how diversity can be inherently beneficial for plants and suggest fruitful avenues for future research to untangle the causes and consequences of intraspecific variation.

Feeding rates of a mammalian browser confirm the predictions of a 'foodscape' model of its habitat.

Adequate nutrition is a fundamental requirement for the maintenance and growth of populations, but complex interactions between nutrients and plant toxins make it difficult to link variation in plant quality to the ecology of wild herbivores. We asked whether a 'foodscape' model of habitat that uses near-infrared spectroscopy to describe the palatability of individual trees in the landscape, predicted the foraging decisions of a mammalian browser, the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). Specifically, we considered four behavioural decision points at which nutritional quality may influence an animal's decision. These were: which tree to enter, whether to feed from that tree, when to stop eating, and how long to remain in that tree. There were trends for koalas to feed in eucalypt trees that were more palatable than unvisited neighbouring conspecific trees, and than trees that they visited but did not eat. Koalas ate longer meals in more palatable trees, and stayed longer and spent more time feeding per visit to these trees. Using more traditional chemical analyses, we identified that an interaction between the concentrations of formylated phloroglucinol compounds (a group of plant secondary metabolites) and available N (an integrated measure of tannins, digestibility and N) influenced feeding. The study shows that foodscape models that combine spatial information with integrated measures of food quality are a powerful tool to predict the feeding behaviour of herbivores in a landscape.

Four species of arboreal folivore show differential tolerance to a secondary metabolite.

The marsupials that eat Eucalyptus in south-eastern Australia provide an example of animals with similar niche requirements occurring sympatrically. They certainly differ in size, ranging from about 1 kg in the greater glider (Petauroides volans) and the closely related common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus), to 4 kg (common brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula) and up to 15 kg in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). All species, however, may eat considerable amounts of eucalypt foliage, often favouring the same species, and thus appear to compete for food. In order to better understand the degree of competition for food, we measured feeding by the greater glider in response to increasing concentrations of a specific group of eucalypt plant secondary metabolites (PSM), the sideroxylonals, and then compared it to results published for the other species. The greater glider was more resilient than the other species to increasing concentrations of sideroxylonals. We suggest this allows gliders to feed on leaves from the eucalypt subgenus, Symphyomyrtus, while its small size and gliding ability allow it to feed where koalas cannot, on the young leaves on top of the canopy. In contrast, the common ringtail possum is well adapted to feeding from species of the subgenus Eucalyptus, which do not produce sideroxylonals but contain less available nitrogen (AvailN) than do the symphyomyrtles. These 'nutritional niches' segregate the forest and along with other factors, such as generalist and specialist feeding strategies and differences in body size and requirements for shelter, presumably minimise competition between the marsupial species.

Correlations between physical and chemical defences in plants: tradeoffs, syndromes, or just many different ways to skin a herbivorous cat?

Most plant species have a range of traits that deter herbivores. However, understanding of how different defences are related to one another is surprisingly weak. Many authors argue that defence traits trade off against one another, while others argue that they form coordinated defence syndromes. We collected a dataset of unprecedented taxonomic and geographic scope (261 species spanning 80 families, from 75 sites across the globe) to investigate relationships among four chemical and six physical defences. Five of the 45 pairwise correlations between defence traits were significant and three of these were tradeoffs. The relationship between species' overall chemical and physical defence levels was marginally nonsignificant (P = 0.08), and remained nonsignificant after accounting for phylogeny, growth form and abundance. Neither categorical principal component analysis (PCA) nor hierarchical cluster analysis supported the idea that species displayed defence syndromes. Our results do not support arguments for tradeoffs or for coordinated defence syndromes. Rather, plants display a range of combinations of defence traits. We suggest this lack of consistent defence syndromes may be adaptive, resulting from selective pressure to deploy a different combination of defences to coexisting species.

A faecal index of diet quality that predicts reproductive success in a marsupial folivore.

Estimating the nutritional value of a herbivore's diet is difficult because it requires knowing what the animal eats, the relative quality of each component and how these components interact in relation to animal physiology. Current methods are cumbersome and rely on many assumptions that are hard to evaluate. We describe a new method for estimating relative diet quality directly from faeces that avoids the problems inherent in other methods. We combine this method with near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) to analyse many samples and thus provide a technique with immense value in ecological studies. The method stems from the correlation between the concentrations of dietary and faecal nitrogen in herbivores eating a tannin-free diet, but a weaker relationship in browsers that ingest substantial amounts of tannins, which form complexes with proteins. These complexes reduce the availability of nitrogen and may increase faecal nitrogen concentrations. Using the tannin-binding compound, polyethylene glycol, we showed that tannin-bound nitrogen is a significant and variable part of faecal nitrogen in wild common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula). We developed a technique to measure faecal available nitrogen and found that it predicted the reproductive success of female brushtail possums in northern Australia. Faecal available nitrogen combined with NIRS provides a powerful tool for estimating the relative nutritional value of the diets of browsing herbivores in many ecological systems. It is a better indicator of diet quality than other commonly used single-nutrient measures such as faecal nitrogen and foliage analysis paired with observed feeding behaviour.

Warmer ambient temperatures reduce protein intake by a mammalian folivore.

The interplay between ambient temperature and nutrition in wild herbivores is frequently overlooked, despite the fundamental importance of food. We tested whether different ambient temperatures (10°C, 18°C and 26°C) influenced the intake of protein by a marsupial herbivore, the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). At each temperature, possums were offered a choice of two foods containing different amounts of protein (57% versus 8%) for one week. Animals mixed a diet with a lower proportion of protein to non-protein (P : NP, 0.20) when held at 26°C compared to that at both 10°C and 18°C (0.22). Since detoxification of plant secondary metabolites imposes a protein cost on animals, we then studied whether addition of the monoterpene 1,8-cineole to the food changed the effect of ambient temperature (10°C and 26°C) on food choice. Cineole reduced food intake but also removed the effect of temperature on P : NP ratio and instead animals opted for a diet with higher P : NP (0.19 with cineole versus 0.15 without cineole). These experiments show the proportion of P : NP chosen by animals is influenced by ambient temperature and by plant secondary metabolites. Protein is critical for reproductive success in this species and reduced protein intake caused by high ambient temperatures may limit the viability of some populations in the future. This article is part of the theme issue 'Food processing and nutritional assimilation in animals'.