Dietary Analysis of Non-Native and Native Fish Species in the Lhasa River Basin Using Microscopy and DNA Barcoding

This study investigated the feeding habits of three non-native fish species (’Carassius auratus’, ‘Cyprinus carpio’, and ‘Hypophthalmichthys molitrix’) and three native fish species (’Schizothorax richardsonii’, ‘Schizothorax waltoni’, and ‘Gymnocypris przewalskii’) in the Lhasa River Basin using microscopic examination and DNA barcoding techniques. The results revealed significant differences in the dietary composition of the studied fish species. The non-native fish species exhibited a more diverse diet, including a wider range of invertebrates and plant materials, compared to the native fish species. This suggests that the non-native fish species may be competing with native fish species for food resources, potentially impacting the ecological stability of the Lhasa River Basin. The findings of this study highlight the importance of understanding the dietary preferences of introduced species and their potential impacts on native ecosystems. Further research is needed to assess the long-term ecological consequences of these introduced species on the Lhasa River Basin.