MINKS - Conserving our wildlife heritage: comparative biomechanics of feeding in native and introduced minks
Project
ID: 000453815
Public
The European mink (Mustela lutreola) is the second most threatened mammal in Europe. In the last decade, its population has been halved by habitat degradation and introduction of American Mink (Neovison vison) populations. This invasive species is larger and less habitat-restricted than the European mink. It is unclear whether dietary overlap occurs between these mink species, although skull morphology would suggest that the American mink has access to a wider variety of food items. MINKS aims to compare the mechanical performance of the jaws in feeding to assess the range of potential foods and extent of dietary competition between both mink species. To accomplish this, MINKS will combine computer modelling techniques (iodine-enhanced microCT scans, finite element analysis (FEA)) with 3D geometric morphometric methods (3DGM) for statistical shape analysis. Differences in skull morphology between both mink species will be assessed, and the skull anatomy of each species will be 3D modelled and subjected to FEA, which will then be compared using 3DGM. MINKS represents the first 3D study on muscular architecture in carnivorans, and also the first application of CAHS’ whole-system-function methodology in the study of carnivoran anatomy. The results of this research will be applied to the conservation of European mink populations, particularly in areas where the food items available increase their survivability. MINKS has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 835736, and has been carried out at the Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences (CAHS), Department of Archaeology, University of York (UK).
DESCRIPTION
The European mink (Mustela lutreola) is the second most threatened mammal in Europe. In the last decade, its population has been halved by habitat degradation and introduction of American Mink (Neovison vison) populations. This invasive species is larger and less habitat-restricted than the European mink. It is unclear whether dietary overlap occurs between these mink species, although skull morphology would suggest that the American mink has access to a wider variety of food items.
MINKS aims to compare the mechanical performance of the jaws in feeding to assess the range of potential foods and extent of dietary competition between both mink species. To accomplish this, MINKS will combine computer modelling techniques (iodine-enhanced microCT scans, finite element analysis (FEA)) with 3D geometric morphometric methods (3DGM) for statistical shape analysis. Differences in skull morphology between both mink species will be assessed, and the skull anatomy of each species will be 3D modelled and subjected to FEA, which will then be compared using 3DGM. MINKS represents the first 3D study on muscular architecture in carnivorans, and also the first application of CAHS’ whole-system-function methodology in the study of carnivoran anatomy. The results of this research will be applied to the conservation of European mink populations, particularly in areas where the food items available increase their survivability.
MINKS has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 835736, and has been carried out at the Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences (CAHS), Department of Archaeology, University of York (UK).