A Method for Preparing Morphologically Preserved Wildlife Fecal Specimens for Long‐Term Ecological Studies

TL;DR

This paper presents a new method to preserve wildlife feces for long-term ecological studies, maintaining their shape, DNA, and chemical properties.

Contribution

A multistep preservation method that maintains fecal morphology, DNA integrity, and enables heavy metal detection.

Findings

Preserved fecal specimens retained morphology and showed no mold or insect damage over 18 months.

DNA extraction success was 100%, with species identification matching pre-preservation samples.

Heavy metals like chromium, arsenic, and lead were successfully detected in preserved fecal samples.

Abstract

Wildlife feces are a valuable noninvasive resource in ecological and conservation research. However, traditional preservation methods are unable to maintain morphological integrity while simultaneously preserving the biological and chemical composition of fecal samples. This study introduces a novel method for the preparation of fecal specimens through a multistep infiltrated process using sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium benzoate, clotrimazole, ethanol, pyrethroid emulsion, and polyvinylpyrrolidone solution. The entire procedure takes approximately 7 days to complete one batch of specimens. The specimens produced using this method exhibited high mechanical strength, ensuring durability and resistance to handling damage. Over an 18‐month storage period, the preserved specimens retained their external morphology and showed no signs of mold or insect damage. DNA integrity was well maintained, with a 100% success rate in DNA extraction, and species identification based on preserved specimens was identical to that obtained from the corresponding pre‐preservation feces. Furthermore, heavy metals such as chromium, arsenic, and lead were successfully detected in fecal samples from different species. By allowing long‐term preservation of fecal samples, this method converts feces from a transient diagnostic tool into a durable resource for monitoring biodiversity. It can broaden the spatial and temporal applicability of fecal samples and strengthen their role in ecological research and biodiversity conservation.

This study introduces a novel multistep immersion method to preserve wildlife fecal samples, maintaining morphological integrity, DNA stability (100% extraction success, > 99% BLAST match rates), and resistance to mold/insect damage for 6 months. The technique also enables heavy metal detection, transforming feces into a durable resource for long‐term ecological monitoring and biodiversity conservation across spatiotemporal scales.

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