1
|
Mezquida ET, Zanón-Martínez JI. Habitat partitioning among sympatric tinamous in semiarid woodlands of central Argentina. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297053. [PMID: 38241305 PMCID: PMC10798496 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Sympatric, phylogenetically related and morphologically similar species that overlap in their distributions at a regional scale display different patterns of co-occurrence at local assemblages. Occurrence of each species at local scales might be the result of interspecific competition for limiting resources. However, these patterns could also arise from species-specific habitat preferences along the abiotic or land use gradients. To assess the role of these mechanisms, we investigated niche partitioning among sympatric tinamou species occurring in semiarid woodlands of central Argentina. We used occupancy models incorporating habitat characteristics and interspecific interactions, while accounting for detectability, to examine the spatial overlap among elegant crested tinamous (Eudromia elegans), brushland tinamous (Nothoprocta cinerascens), and nothura tinamous (Nothura darwinii and N. maculosa) across a wide regional scale. In addition, we investigated time partitioning among these species by estimating the degree of overlap in their daily activity patterns. The regional distribution of the three species was influenced by the gradient in plant productivity and vegetation structure, in agreement with their broad habitat requirements. We also found that the occurrence of each species was presumably affected by the presence of one or two predator species. Models including interactions among tinamou species found weak negative and positive interactions among species pairs, suggesting that co-occurrence patterns were mainly driven by species-specific habitat use rather than interspecific competition. The three species were diurnal, showing two main peaks of activity, and overlapped widely in their overall diel activity, although subordinate species tended to shift their activity patterns to reduce encounters with the dominant tinamou species, suggesting some segregation in this niche dimension. Projected changes in rainfall seasonality and warmer conditions in this region could benefit elegant crested tinamous over the other two species, although climate and land use changes will likely have a negative impact on all tinamou species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo T. Mezquida
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Biodiversity and Global Change Research Center (CIBC-UAM), Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Centro para el Estudio y Conservación de las Aves Rapaces en Argentina, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina
| | - Juan I. Zanón-Martínez
- Centro para el Estudio y Conservación de las Aves Rapaces en Argentina, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina
- Instituto Multidisciplinario sobre Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable, CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kanishka AM, Blanchard W, Lavery TH, Robinson NM, Dexter N, Dickman CR, MacGregor C, Lindenmayer DB. Environmental variables influence patterns of mammal co-occurrence following introduced predator control. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292919. [PMID: 38032980 PMCID: PMC10688647 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Co-occurring species often overlap in their use of resources and can interact in complex ways. However, shifts in environmental conditions or resource availability can lead to changes in patterns of species co-occurrence, which may be exacerbated by global escalation of human disturbances to ecosystems, including conservation-directed interventions. We investigated the relative abundance and co-occurrence of two naturally sympatric mammal species following two forms of environmental disturbance: wildfire and introduced predator control. Using 14 years of abundance data from repeat surveys at long-term monitoring sites in south-eastern Australia, we examined the association between a marsupial, the common brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula, and a co-occurring native rodent, the bush rat Rattus fuscipes. We asked: In a fox-controlled environment, are the abundances of common brushtail possums and bush rats affected by environmental disturbance and each other's presence? Using Bayesian regression models, we tested hypotheses that the abundance of each species would vary with changes in environmental and disturbance variables, and that the negative association between bush rats and common brushtail possums was stronger than the association between bush rats and disturbance. Our analyses revealed that bush rat abundance varied greatly in relation to environmental and disturbance variables, whereas common brushtail possums showed relatively limited variation in response to the same variables. There was a negative association between common brushtail possums and bush rats, but this association was weaker than the initial decline and subsequent recovery of bush rats in response to wildfires. Using co-occurrence analysis, we can infer negative relationships in abundance between co-occurring species, but to understand the impacts of such associations, and plan appropriate conservation measures, we require more information on interactions between the species and environmental variables. Co-occurrence can be a powerful and novel method to diagnose threats to communities and understand changes in ecosystem dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aurelie M. Kanishka
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Wade Blanchard
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Tyrone H. Lavery
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Natasha M. Robinson
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Conservation and Restoration Science Branch, Science, Economics and Insights Division, NSW Department of Planning and Environment, Australia
| | - Nick Dexter
- Booderee National Park, Jervis Bay Territory, Australia
| | - Chris R. Dickman
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Christopher MacGregor
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - David B. Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bandyopadhyay M, Biswas S, Dasgupta T, Krishnamurthy R. Patterns of coexistence between two mesocarnivores in presence of anthropogenic disturbances in Western Himalaya. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:397. [PMID: 36781547 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11003-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Species' coexistence depends on species-specific resource utilization in a given habitat. Human disturbances in this context can constrain the realized niche by altering their community dynamics. In this study, we considered Western Himalaya as a case study to test the hypothesis that human disturbances influence mesocarnivore coexistence patterns. We regarded red fox and leopard cat as the focal species and assessed the coexistence patterns in low and high human disturbance areas in three dimensions: spatial, temporal, and dietary habit. We used camera trap detections and mitochondrial DNA-based species identification of fecal samples. We used generalized linear mixed-effect modelling (GLMM), activity overlap, Levin's niche breadth, and Pianka's overlap index to capture the spatial, temporal, and dietary interactions respectively. We found that red fox and leopard cat coexisted by spatial segregation in low human disturbance area, whereas dietary segregation was the means of coexistence in high human disturbance area. We observed a broader dietary breadth for red fox and a narrower for leopard cat in high human disturbance area. The altered coexistence pattern due to differential human disturbances indicates intensive anthropogenic activities adjacent to natural forests. It can link to increased opportunities for shared spaces between mesocarnivores and humans, leading to future disease spread and conflicts. Our study contributes to scant ecological knowledge of these mesocarnivores and adds to our understanding of community dynamics in human-altered ecosystems. The study elucidates the need for long-term monitoring of wildlife inhabiting interface areas to ensure human and wildlife coexistence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meghna Bandyopadhyay
- Department of Landscape Level Planning and Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Suvankar Biswas
- Department of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Tryambak Dasgupta
- Department of Landscape Level Planning and Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Ramesh Krishnamurthy
- Department of Landscape Level Planning and Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Multi-species occupancy modeling suggests interspecific interaction among the three ungulate species. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17602. [PMID: 36266303 PMCID: PMC9584884 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20953-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Species with sympatric distribution influence ecosystem dynamics and are impacted by the presence of other co-existing species. Assessing the coexistence and the role of interspecific interactions with the landscape variables is necessary to know the species co-occurrence in space. In the Indian Himalayan region, such studies are completely lacking due to limited efforts being made, mainly because of complex terrains and inaccessible landscape features. We used camera trapping and sign survey in a multi-species occupancy framework to understand the influence of environmental variables on occupancy and detection probability of species-specific and pair-wise interaction of the three ungulates in Uttarkashi. Our results concluded that individual species' occupancy probabilities were related both to the environmental variables and the presence or absence of other interacting species. Our top model showed evidence of interspecific interaction among species pairs, and the occupancy probability of species one varied in the presence or absence of another species. The overall activity patterns were similar among all the three species and were found active throughout the day. The activity overlap between sambar-barking deer (Dhat1 value = 0.85) was considerably higher than barking deer-goral (Dhat1 value = 0.78). The findings of the present study will be useful for the conservation and management of ungulates in the Indian Himalayan and adjoining regions.
Collapse
|
5
|
Van Ee JJ, Ivan JS, Hooten MB. Community confounding in joint species distribution models. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12235. [PMID: 35851284 PMCID: PMC9294001 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15694-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Joint species distribution models have become ubiquitous for studying species-environment relationships and dependence among species. Accounting for community structure often improves predictive power, but can also affect inference on species-environment relationships. Specifically, some parameterizations of joint species distribution models allow interspecies dependence and environmental effects to explain the same sources of variability in species distributions, a phenomenon we call community confounding. We present a method for measuring community confounding and show how to orthogonalize the environmental and random species effects in suite of joint species distribution models. In a simulation study, we show that community confounding can lead to computational difficulties and that orthogonalizing the environmental and random species effects can alleviate these difficulties. We also discuss the inferential implications of community confounding and orthogonalizing the environmental and random species effects in a case study of mammalian responses to the Colorado bark beetle epidemic in the subalpine forest by comparing the outputs from occupancy models that treat species independently or account for interspecies dependence. We illustrate how joint species distribution models that restrict the random species effects to be orthogonal to the fixed effects can have computational benefits and still recover the inference provided by an unrestricted joint species distribution model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justin J. Van Ee
- grid.47894.360000 0004 1936 8083Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, 80523 USA
| | - Jacob S. Ivan
- grid.478657.f0000 0004 0636 8957Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Fort Collins, 80526 USA
| | - Mevin B. Hooten
- grid.89336.370000 0004 1936 9924Department of Statistics and Data Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, 78712 USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lonsinger RC. Co-occurrence models fail to infer underlying patterns of avoidance and aggregation when closure is violated. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9104. [PMID: 35845361 PMCID: PMC9273567 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in multi‐species monitoring have prompted an increase in the use of multi‐species occupancy analyses to assess patterns of co‐occurrence among species, even when data were collected at scales likely violating the assumption that sites were closed to changes in the occupancy state for the target species. Violating the closure assumption may lead to erroneous conclusions related to patterns of co‐occurrence among species. Occurrence for two hypothetical species was simulated under patterns of avoidance, aggregation, or independence, when the closure assumption was either met or not. Simulated populations were sampled at two levels (N = 250 or 100 sites) and two scales of temporal resolution for surveys. Sample data were analyzed with conditional two‐species occupancy models, and performance was assessed based on the proportion of simulations recovering the true pattern of co‐occurrence. Estimates of occupancy were unbiased when closure was met, but biased when closure violations occurred; bias increased when sample size was small and encounter histories were collapsed to a large‐scale temporal resolution. When closure was met and patterns of avoidance and aggregation were simulated, conditional two‐species models tended to correctly find support for non‐independence, and estimated species interaction factors (SIF) aligned with predicted values. By contrast, when closure was violated, models tended to incorrectly infer a pattern of independence and power to detect simulated patterns of avoidance or aggregation that decreased with smaller sample size. Results suggest that when the closure assumption is violated, co‐occurrence models often fail to detect underlying patterns of avoidance or aggregation, and incorrectly identify a pattern of independence among species, which could have negative consequences for our understanding of species interactions and conservation efforts. Thus, when closure is violated, inferred patterns of independence from multi‐species occupancy should be interpreted cautiously, and evidence of avoidance or aggregation is likely a conservative estimate of true pattern or interaction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert C Lonsinger
- U.S. Geological Survey, Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Schalk CM, Weng YH, Adams CS, Saenz D. Spatiotemporal Patterns of Snake Captures and Activity in Upland Pine Forests. AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1674/0003-0031-187.2.195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Schalk
- Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas 75962
| | - Yuhui H. Weng
- Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas 75962
| | - Connor S. Adams
- Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas 75962
| | - Daniel Saenz
- Southern Research Station, U.S. Forest Service, Nacogdoches, Texas 75965
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Facilitative interaction promotes occupancy of a desert amphibian across a climate gradient. Oecologia 2022; 198:815-823. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05127-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
9
|
Hernandez-Puentes C, Torre I, Vilella M. Spatio-temporal interactions within a Mediterranean community of Mesocarnivores. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00230-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
10
|
Akresh ME, Meeker ED, King DI. Observations of Snakes and Game Birds in a Managed Pine Barren in Massachusetts. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2022. [DOI: 10.1656/045.029.0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael E. Akresh
- Department of Environmental Studies, Antioch University New England, Keene, NH 03431
| | - Evan D. Meeker
- Department of Environmental Studies, Antioch University New England, Keene, NH 03431
| | - David I. King
- US Forest Service Northern Research Station, Amherst, MA 01003
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Zanón Martínez JI, Seoane J, Kelly MJ, Sarasola JH, Travaini A. Assessing carnivore spatial co-occurrence and temporal overlap in the face of human interference in a semiarid forest. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e02482. [PMID: 34674337 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Apex predators drive top-down effects in ecosystems and the loss of such species can trigger mesopredator release. This ecological process has been well documented in human-modified small areas, but for management and conservation of ecological communities, it is important to know which human factors affect apex predator occurrence and which mediate mesopredators release at large scales. We hypothesized that mesopredators would avoid spatial and temporal overlap with the apex predator, the puma; but that human perturbations (i.e., cattle raising and trophy hunting) would dampen top-down effects and mediate habitat use. We installed 16 camera traps in each of 45, 10 × 10 km grid cells in the Caldén forest region of central Argentina resulting in 706 total stations covering 61,611 km2 . We used single-season occupancy and two-species co-occurrence models and calculated the species interaction factor (SIF) to explore the contributions of habitat, biotic, and anthropic variables in explaining co-occurrence between carnivore pairs. We also used kernel density estimation techniques to analyze temporal overlap in activity patterns of the carnivore guild. We found that puma habitat use increased with abundance of large prey and with proximity to protected areas. Geoffroy's cats and skunks spatially avoided pumas and this effect was strong and mediated by distance to protected areas and game reserves, but pumas did not influence pampas fox and pampas cat space use. At medium and low levels of puma occupancy, we found evidence of spatial avoidance between three pairs of mesocarnivores. All predators were mostly nocturnal and crepuscular across seasons and mesopredators showed little consistent evidence of changing activity patterns with varying levels of puma occupancy or human interference. We found potential for mesopredator release at large scale, especially on the spatial niche axis. Our results suggest that a combination of interacting factors, in conjunction with habitat features and intervening human activities, may make mesopredator release unlikely or difficult to discern at broad scales. Overall, we believe that promoting the creation of new protected areas linked by small forest patches would likely lead to increased predator and prey abundances, as well as the interactions among carnivores inside and outside of protected areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan I Zanón Martínez
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Avenida Uruguay 151, 6300, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina
- Centro para el Estudio y Conservación de las Aves Rapaces en Argentina, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Avenida Uruguay 151, 6300, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina
| | - Javier Seoane
- Terrestrial Ecology Group-TEG, Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin, 2, 28049, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marcella J Kelly
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, 146 Cheatham Hall, Blacksburg, Virginia, 24061-0321, USA
| | - José Hernán Sarasola
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Avenida Uruguay 151, 6300, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina
- Centro para el Estudio y Conservación de las Aves Rapaces en Argentina, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Avenida Uruguay 151, 6300, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina
| | - Alejandro Travaini
- Centro de Investigación de Puerto Deseado, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral, CONICET, Avenida Prefectura Naval s/n, 9050, Puerto Deseado, Santa Cruz, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Deng S, Li J, Qu Y, He J, Liu K, Xue H, Cui P, Ruan X, Wu H. Camera trap reveals the co-occurrence patterns of two sympatric muntjac species in southern Anhui Province, China: No spatial segregation. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:17801-17809. [PMID: 35003640 PMCID: PMC8717271 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The competitive relationship and coexistence pattern among close related species have long been one of the hot issues in ecological research. Interspecies interactions can exert important influences on the local distribution of rare species. Black muntjac Muntiacus crinifrons is an endemic species to eastern China, currently restricted to limited regions. In contrast, Chinese muntjac Muntiacus reevesi is the most common and widespread deer in southern China. Both species co-occur in southern Anhui and western Zhejiang Province. Little is known about the interaction of these two sympatric-related species. In this study, to investigate the site use determinants and co-occurrence pattern of the two sympatric muntjac species, we conducted a camera trap survey across about 250 km2 in mountainous area of southern Anhui Province, China. We adopted a multistep approach to incorporate habitat preferences while modeling occupancy and detection. We found that the two species did not separate along elevation gradient (range from 400 m to 1,400 m) as described in previous studies. Results of single-species occupancy models indicated that elevation had positive effects on the site use of both species, while slope had an opposite influence on their site use. Positive effects of elevation on the site use implied that both species try to avoid human interference at low elevations. Significant negative effect of slope on the site use of black muntjac suggested that the species prefer habitat with gentle slope and avoided steep. Co-occurrence models and species interaction factors provided evidence that the two muntjac species had an independent occupancy (ψ BM CM = ψ BM cm, SIF = 1) and exhibited a positive species interaction in detection probability (p BM < r BM CM). Combined with the results of previous studies, we suggested that it was fine differentiation in microhabitats and food resources utilization rather spatial or temporal segregation that allowed the two species co-occurrence. The site use determinants revealed in our study would be useful for the habitat conservation and restoration for the rare black muntjac, and the co-occurrence pattern of the two sympatric muntjac species could provide useful information for deep understanding of the coexistence mechanism among forest-dwelling ungulates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuaitao Deng
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co‐founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of EducationProvincial Key Laboratory of Biotic Environment and Ecological Safety in AnhuiSchool of Ecology and EnvironmentAnhui Normal UniversityWuhuChina
- Shanghai Wildlife and Protected Natural Areas Research CenterShanghaiChina
| | - Jiaqi Li
- Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of ChinaNanjing Institute of Environmental SciencesNanjingChina
| | - Yashu Qu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co‐founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of EducationProvincial Key Laboratory of Biotic Environment and Ecological Safety in AnhuiSchool of Ecology and EnvironmentAnhui Normal UniversityWuhuChina
| | - Jun He
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co‐founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of EducationProvincial Key Laboratory of Biotic Environment and Ecological Safety in AnhuiSchool of Ecology and EnvironmentAnhui Normal UniversityWuhuChina
| | - Kai Liu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co‐founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of EducationProvincial Key Laboratory of Biotic Environment and Ecological Safety in AnhuiSchool of Ecology and EnvironmentAnhui Normal UniversityWuhuChina
| | - Hui Xue
- College of Life SciencesAnhui Normal UniversityWuhuChina
| | - Peng Cui
- Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of ChinaNanjing Institute of Environmental SciencesNanjingChina
| | - Xiangdong Ruan
- Academy of Inventory and PlanningNational Forestry and Grassland AdministrationBeijingChina
| | - Hailong Wu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co‐founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of EducationProvincial Key Laboratory of Biotic Environment and Ecological Safety in AnhuiSchool of Ecology and EnvironmentAnhui Normal UniversityWuhuChina
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Dallas J, Meshaka WE, Delis PR. Evidence of Intraguild Predation in a Snake Assemblage: Bigger Seems Better. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/045.028.0302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jason Dallas
- Department of Biology, Shippensburg University, 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg, PA 17257
| | - Walter E. Meshaka
- Section of Zoology and Botany, State Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120
| | - Pablo R. Delis
- Department of Biology, Shippensburg University, 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg, PA 17257
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Jordaan A, Heideman NJL, Buschke FT. Topography‐derived variables provide insight into habitat occupancy of a cryptic snake,
Bitis atropos. AUSTRAL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adriaan Jordaan
- Department of Zoology & Entomology University of the Free State P.O. Box 339 Bloemfontein 9300South Africa
| | - Neil J. L. Heideman
- Department of Zoology & Entomology University of the Free State P.O. Box 339 Bloemfontein 9300South Africa
| | - Falko T. Buschke
- Centre for Environmental Management University of the Free State Bloemfontein South Africa
- Animal Ecology, Global Change and Sustainable Development KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kinap NM, Nagy-Reis M, Bobrowiec PED, Gordo M, Spironello WR. Influence of topography gradient and seasonality on primate habitat use in Central Amazonia. Mamm Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00108-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
16
|
Elo M, Ketola T, Komonen A. Species co-occurrence networks of ground beetles in managed grasslands. COMMUNITY ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42974-020-00034-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
AbstractGrassland biodiversity, including traditional rural biotopes maintained by traditional agricultural practices, has become threatened worldwide. Road verges have been suggested to be complementary or compensatory habitats for species inhabiting grasslands. Species co-occurrence patterns linked with species traits can be used to separate between the different mechanisms (stochasticity, environmental filtering, biotic interactions) behind community structure. Here, we study species co-occurrence networks and underlying mechanisms of ground beetle species (Carabidae) in three different managed grassland types (meadows, pastures, road verges, n = 12 in each type) in Central Finland. We aimed to find out whether road verges can be considered as compensatory to traditional rural biotopes (meadows and pastures). We found that stochasticity explained over 90% of the pairwise co-occurrences, and the non-random co-occurrences were best explained by environmental filtering, regardless of the grassland type. However, the identities and traits of the species showing non-random co-occurrences differed among the habitat types. Thus, environmental factors behind environmental filtering differ among the habitat types and are related to the site-specific characteristics and variation therein. This poses challenges to habitat management since the species’ response to management action may depend on the site-specific characteristics. Although road verges are not fully compensatory to meadows and pastures, the high similarity of species richness and the high level of shared species suggest that for carabids road verges may be corridors connecting the sparse network of the remaining traditional rural biotopes.
Collapse
|
17
|
Intraspecific dietary variation in niche partitioning within a community of ecologically similar snakes. Evol Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-020-10078-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
|
18
|
Exotic Prey Facilitate Coexistence between Pumas and Culpeo Foxes in the Andes of Central Chile. DIVERSITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/d12090317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Coexistence between species with similar ecological niches implies species must segregate along one or more niche axes to survive. Space, time, and trophic resources are regarded as the principal axes upon which species segregate. We examined segregation along these niche axes to determine mechanisms underlying coexistence between the two main predators, puma (Puma concolor) and culpeo foxes (Lycalopex culpaeus) in the Andes of Central Chile. We used occupancy modeling to examine space use and overlap, Kernel Density Estimation to determine temporal activity patterns and overlap, and analysis of prey remains in feces to assess diet breadth and similarity. We found high spatial overlap and positive associations between detection of the carnivores lending little support for spatial segregation. Similarly, we found high nocturnal, temporal overlap between pumas and foxes that matched peaks in activity of prey. In contrast, we found relatively low dietary overlap indicating niche segregation likely occurs along the dietary axis. The Puma diet was dominated by introduced, exotic hares and foxes appeared to shift away from hares to rabbits, small mammals, and seeds. Given that lagomorphs are the main dietary resource for pumas in particular, management decisions regarding the control or eradication of such exotic species could negatively affected puma survival.
Collapse
|
19
|
Mwampeta SB, Magige FJ, Belant JL. Spatial and temporal overlap of caracal and serval in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Afr J Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stanslaus B. Mwampeta
- Camp Fire Program in Wildlife Conservation State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse NY USA
- Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation University of Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Flora J. Magige
- Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation University of Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Jerrold L. Belant
- Camp Fire Program in Wildlife Conservation State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse NY USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Birds of a feather flock together: Functionally similar vertebrates positively co‐occur in Guianan forests. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
|
21
|
Martinez-Freiria F, Lorenzo M, Lizana M. Zamenis scalaris prefers abandoned citrus orchards in Eastern Spain. Ecological insights from a radio-tracking survey. AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 2019. [DOI: 10.1163/15685381-18000003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Zamenis scalaris is a generalist active forager Mediterranean snake for which knowledge on spatial ecology is very limited. We report insights into the spatial and temporal patterns, and habitat use of four snakes, obtained through one-year radio-tracking monitoring in a citrus orchard landscape, in Eastern Iberia. Snakes showed a highly secretive behaviour, remaining hidden most of the annual cycle (>96% of records). Annual home ranges and movements were reduced in contrast to the expected energetic requirements of the species. Despite a similar pattern of non-activity during winter and a subsequent increase of movement rate and home range size in spring, each snake adopted a distinct spatial behaviour in summer and autumn. Abandoned citrus orchards and accessory constructions were the most frequent habitats selected by snakes, offering abundant prey and shelter. These resources are likely playing a crucial role in the spatial ecology of Z. scalaris.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Martinez-Freiria
- 1CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos da Universidade do Porto, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias de Vairão, R. Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Marcial Lorenzo
- 2Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Miguel Lizana
- 2Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Paterson JE, Weiss SL, Blouin-Demers G. Experimental removal reveals only weak interspecific competition between two coexisting lizards. CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2017-0279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Competition for resources is an important mechanism that shapes ecological communities. Interspecific competition can affect habitat selection, fitness, and abundance in animals. We used a removal experiment and mark–recapture to test the hypothesis that competition with the larger and more abundant Striped Plateau Lizard (Sceloporus virgatus H.M. Smith, 1938) limits habitat selection, fitness, and abundance in Ornate Tree Lizards (Urosaurus ornatus (Baird in Baird and Girard, 1852)). Ornate Tree Lizards in the plots where Striped Plateau Lizards were removed switched between habitat types more frequently and moved farther than Ornate Tree Lizards in control plots. However, there were no significant changes in the relative densities of Ornate Tree Lizards in each habitat type or in microhabitat use. We also found no changes in growth rates, survival, or abundance of Ornate Tree Lizards in response to the removal of Striped Plateau Lizards. Our results suggest that interspecific competition was not strong enough to limit habitat use or abundance of Ornate Tree Lizards. Perhaps interspecific competition is weak between coexisting species when resource levels are not severely depleted. Therefore, it is important to consider environmental conditions when assessing the importance of interspecific competition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James E. Paterson
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie Private, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Stacey L. Weiss
- Biology Department, University of Puget Sound, 1500 North Warner #1088, Tacoma, WA 98416-1088, USA
| | - Gabriel Blouin-Demers
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie Private, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Cruz P, Iezzi ME, De Angelo C, Varela D, Di Bitetti MS, Paviolo A. Effects of human impacts on habitat use, activity patterns and ecological relationships among medium and small felids of the Atlantic Forest. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200806. [PMID: 30067785 PMCID: PMC6070200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Competition theory and niche theory suggest that two morphologically similar species may coexist by reducing the overlap of at least one dimension of their ecological niche. The medium and small Neotropical felids are an interesting group of carnivore species for studying intraguild competition. Due to differences in size it is expected that the larger ocelot exert strong interference competition on the smaller felids (southern tiger cat, margay and jaguarundi); which, in turn, may exert exploitative competition among themselves. Moreover, landscape changes due to human activities may alter these interspecific interactions. We studied the habitat use and the spatial and temporal interspecific relations of the medium and small Atlantic Forest felids, in a landscape with different levels of anthropogenic impact. We estimated the detection probability, and occupancy probability of these cats and whether these parameters are affected by environmental and anthropogenic variables or by the estimated occupancy and detection probability of the ocelot. We estimated the overlap in daily activity patterns between pairs of the four species and changes in their activity in response to anthropogenic impact. We also studied the potential changes that may have occurred in the daily activity of the small felids in relation to ocelot's occupancy probability. The probability of habitat use of the small- and medium-size felids was negatively associated to the intensity of landscape use by humans. Co-occurrence models indicated that the probability of habitat use by southern tiger cats decreased with ocelot occupancy probability. This effect was higher as human disturbance increased. Moreover, the ocelot and the southern tiger cat became more nocturnal in sites with higher human access, suggesting that they may be temporally avoiding encounters with humans or dogs. Conservation of medium and small felids in the Atlantic Forest depends not only on the establishment and implementations of protected areas but also on the management of human's land uses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Cruz
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Misiones (UNaM), Bertoni, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico, Bertoni, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- * E-mail:
| | - María Eugenia Iezzi
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Misiones (UNaM), Bertoni, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico, Bertoni, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
| | - Carlos De Angelo
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Misiones (UNaM), Bertoni, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico, Bertoni, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
| | - Diego Varela
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Misiones (UNaM), Bertoni, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico, Bertoni, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
| | - Mario S. Di Bitetti
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Misiones (UNaM), Bertoni, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico, Bertoni, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Nacional de Misiones (UNaM), Misiones, Argentina
| | - Agustin Paviolo
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Misiones (UNaM), Bertoni, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico, Bertoni, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Goetz SM, Godwin JC, Hoffman M, Antonio F, Steen DA. Eastern Indigo Snakes Exhibit an Innate Response to Pit Viper Scent and an Ontogenetic Shift in Their Response to Mouse Scent. HERPETOLOGICA 2018. [DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-17-00070.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott M. Goetz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - James C. Godwin
- Alabama Natural Heritage Program, Auburn University Museum of Natural History, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Michelle Hoffman
- Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation, Central Florida Zoo, Eustis, FL 32726, USA
| | - Fred Antonio
- Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation, Central Florida Zoo, Eustis, FL 32726, USA
| | - David A. Steen
- Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Island Authority, 214 Stable Road, Jekyll Island, GA 31527, USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Goldingay RL. Can a common snake provide conservation insights? AUST J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1071/zo18079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The small-eyed snake (Cryptophis nigrescens) is a common non-threatened species in eastern Australia. It coexists with the threatened broad-headed snake (Hoplocephalus bungaroides), a species adversely affected by habitat disturbance and subject to poaching. The small-eyed snake is a habitat generalist and not subject to poaching. It may prey on other snakes, including the broad-headed snake, and, like the broad-headed snake, may shelter under thermally favourable loose rocks during the cooler months of the year. This may lead to interactions between these species due to the limited availability of such rocks, and possibly exacerbate other threats to the broad-headed snake, such as poaching and the loss of thermally favourable rocks. I conducted repeat surveys for snakes at 64 rock outcrops in Royal National Park over a 16-year period. I predicted that site use by the small-eyed snake would not be influenced by a disturbance variable previously documented to influence site use by the broad-headed snake. Observations were consistent with this prediction, confirming the unique vulnerability of the broad-headed snake. I used my long-term data to analyse the co-occurrence of the two species. The broad-headed snake was detected as frequently at sites with and without the small-eyed snake, suggesting that these species occupy outcrops independently of each other. Therefore, interactions with the small-eyed snake will not reduce the effectiveness of habitat restoration for the broad-headed snake in Royal National Park.
Collapse
|
26
|
Estevo CA, Nagy-Reis MB, Nichols JD. When habitat matters: Habitat preferences can modulate co-occurrence patterns of similar sympatric species. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0179489. [PMID: 28746414 PMCID: PMC5528253 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Disentangling the role of competition in regulating the distribution of sympatric species can be difficult because species can have different habitat preferences or time use that introduce non-random patterns that are not related to interspecific interactions. We adopted a multi-step approach to systematically incorporate habitat preferences while investigating the co-occurrence of two presumed competitors, morphologically similar, and closely related ground-dwelling birds: the brown tinamou (Crypturellus obsoletus) and the tataupa tinamou (C. tataupa). First, we used single-species occupancy models to identify the main landscape characteristics affecting site occupancy, while accounting for detection probability. We then used these factors to control for the effect of habitat while investigating species co-occurrence. In addition, we investigated species present-time partitioning by measuring the degree of overlap in their activity time. Both species were strictly diurnal and their activity time highly overlapped (i.e., the species are not present-time partitioning). The distribution of the two species varied across the landscape, and they seemed to occupy opposite portions of the study area, but co-occurrence models and species interaction factors suggested that the tinamous have independent occupancy and detection. In addition, co-occurrence models that accounted for habitat performed better than models without habitat covariates. The observed co-occurrence pattern is more likely related to habitat preferences, wherein species segregated by elevation. These results provide evidence that habitat characteristics can play a bigger role than interspecific interactions in regulating co-existence of some species. Therefore, exploring habitat preferences while analyzing co-occurrence patterns is essential, in addition to being a feasible approach to achieve more accurate estimation of parameters reflecting species interactions. Occupancy models can be a valuable tool in such modeling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - James D. Nichols
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Bao H, Fryxell JM, Liu H, Dou H, Ma Y, Jiang G. Effects of interspecific interaction-linked habitat factors on moose resource selection and environmental stress. Sci Rep 2017; 7:41514. [PMID: 28128311 PMCID: PMC5269734 DOI: 10.1038/srep41514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Resource selection of herbivores is a complex ecological process that operates in relation to biological or non-biological factors, which may affect the feeding and movement, and subsequently their spatial distribution and environmental stress. Here, we estimated moose (Alces alces cameloides) resource selection for habitat variables and the effect of interspecific interactions related to roe deer (Capreolus pygargus bedfordi) on its population distribution and environmental stress in the Khingan Mountain region of northeast China at local and regional scales. Different response patterns of moose resource selection, spatial distribution, and environmental stress to interspecific interaction-linked habitat factors were shown at the two scales. A general ecological chain, response of moose to interspecific interaction-linked habitat factors, was exhibited at the regional scale, and at the local scale, heterogeneous responses, linkages of habitat selection and environmental stress of moose population might be driven by different interspecific interaction patterns. Our study firstly suggested that moose resource selection, food availability, diet quality, population density and environmental stress indicators were impacted by interactions with the distribution of other sympatric herbivore species and showed differences in ecological response chains at various spatial scales. These findings are useful for sympatric herbivore assembly conservation, habitat quality monitoring and management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heng Bao
- Feline Research Center of Chinese State Forestry Administration, College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150040, P.R. China
| | - John M. Fryxell
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Hui Liu
- Feline Research Center of Chinese State Forestry Administration, College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150040, P.R. China
| | - Hongliang Dou
- Feline Research Center of Chinese State Forestry Administration, College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150040, P.R. China
| | - Yingjie Ma
- Feline Research Center of Chinese State Forestry Administration, College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150040, P.R. China
| | - Guangshun Jiang
- Feline Research Center of Chinese State Forestry Administration, College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150040, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Dupre S, Lambert T, Adler G, Hegde L, Kennedy E. Aggressive and investigative behaviors of two sympatric species of echimyid rodents, Proechimys semispinosus and Hoplomys gymnurus, in Central Panama. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2015.1078414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S.I. Dupre
- Department of Biology, Frostburg State University, 101 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD, USA
- Current address: Department of Geography and Environmental Systems, University of Maryland: Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - T.D. Lambert
- Department of Biology, Frostburg State University, 101 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD, USA
| | - G.H. Adler
- Department of Biology and Microbiology, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Oshkosh WI, USA
| | - L.M. Hegde
- Department of Mathematics, Frostburg State University, 101 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD, USA
| | - E.H. Kennedy
- Department of Psychology, Frostburg State University, 101 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Rota CT, Ferreira MAR, Kays RW, Forrester TD, Kalies EL, McShea WJ, Parsons AW, Millspaugh JJ. A multispecies occupancy model for two or more interacting species. Methods Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher T. Rota
- School of Natural Resources West Virginia University Morgantown WV26506USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlidfe Sciences University of Missouri Columbia MO65211USA
| | | | - Roland W. Kays
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Raleigh NC27601USA
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources North Carolina State University Raleigh NC27695USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Joshua J. Millspaugh
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlidfe Sciences University of Missouri Columbia MO65211USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Monterroso P, Rebelo P, Alves PC, Ferreras P. Niche partitioning at the edge of the range: a multidimensional analysis with sympatric martens. J Mammal 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
|
31
|
CORRÊA DANIELEN, QUINTELA FERNANDOM, LOEBMANN DANIEL. Feeding ecology of Erythrolamprus jaegeri jaegeri (Günter, 1858) and Erythrolamprus poecilogyrus sublineatus (Cope, 1860) in the coastal zone of Subtropical Brazil (Serpentes, Dipsadidae). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 88:293-308. [DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765201520140570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2014] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The snakes Erythrolamprus jaegeri jaegeri and Erythrolamprus poecilogyrus sublineatus are sympatric and syntopic in the coastal region of southern Brazil. Herein, we analyzed the diet composition to evaluate the niche breadth and the prey selection by both species. We examined 192 specimens, and analysis of stomach contents revealed that both species predominantly consume anurans. However, the diet of E. j. jaegeri consists mainly of fish and amphibians, whereas that of E. p. sublineatus is broader, including fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. The Standardized Levins Index presented lower values for E. j. jaegeri (BA = 0.17) than for E. p. sublineatus (BA = 0.61), evidencing specialist and generalist strategies for each species, respectively. Regarding prey selection, E. p. sublineatus presented a larger snout-vent length, head, mouth and lower jaw than E. j. jaegeri and fed on larger prey. In addition, positive correlations between the size and weight of predators and prey were confirmed in both species. The results show the development of different mechanisms for co-occurrence of the two species, such as prey selection by size, such that the size of the predator is related to the size of their prey, or by developing different strategies to decrease niche overlap between species.
Collapse
|
32
|
|
33
|
Gantchoff MG, Belant JL. Patterns of coexistence between two mesocarnivores in northern Patagonia in the presence of invasive hares and anthropogenic disturbance. AUSTRAL ECOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. G. Gantchoff
- Carnivore Ecology Laboratory; Forest and Wildlife Research Center; Mississippi State University; MS 39762 USA
| | - J. L. Belant
- Carnivore Ecology Laboratory; Forest and Wildlife Research Center; Mississippi State University; MS 39762 USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Farris ZJ, Kelly MJ, Karpanty S, Ratelolahy F. Patterns of spatial co-occurrence among native and exotic carnivores in north-eastern Madagascar. Anim Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Z. J. Farris
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Virginia Tech; Blacksburg VA USA
| | - M. J. Kelly
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Virginia Tech; Blacksburg VA USA
| | - S. Karpanty
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Virginia Tech; Blacksburg VA USA
| | - F. Ratelolahy
- Wildlife Conservation Society Madagascar Program; Antananarivo Madagascar
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Morphologically Cryptic Amphipod Species Are "Ecological Clones" at Regional but Not at Local Scale: A Case Study of Four Niphargus Species. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0134384. [PMID: 26226375 PMCID: PMC4520478 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies indicate that morphologically cryptic species may be ecologically more different than would be predicted from their morphological similarity and phylogenetic relatedness. However, in biodiversity research it often remains unclear whether cryptic species should be treated as ecologically equivalent, or whether detected differences have ecological significance. In this study, we assessed the ecological equivalence of four morphologically cryptic species of the amphipod genus Niphargus. All species live in a small, isolated area on the Istrian Peninsula in the NW Balkans. The distributional ranges of the species are partially overlapping and all species are living in springs. We reconstructed their ecological niches using morphological traits related to feeding, bioclimatic niche envelope and species’ preference for epi-hypogean habitats. The ecological meaning of differences in niches was evaluated using distributional data and co-occurrence frequencies. We show that the species comprise two pairs of sister species. All species differ from each other and the degree of differentiation is not related to phylogenetic relatedness. Moreover, low co-occurrence frequencies in sympatric zones imply present or past interspecific competition. This pattern suggests that species are not differentiated enough to reduce interspecific competition, nor ecologically equivalent to co-exist via neutral dynamics. We tentatively conclude that the question of ecological equivalence relates to the scale of the study: at a fine scale, species’ differences may influence dynamics in a local community, whereas at the regional level these species likely play roughly similar ecological roles.
Collapse
|
36
|
Gonçalves-Machado L, Pla D, Sanz L, Jorge RJB, Leitão-De-Araújo M, Alves MLM, Alvares DJ, De Miranda J, Nowatzki J, de Morais-Zani K, Fernandes W, Tanaka-Azevedo AM, Fernández J, Zingali RB, Gutiérrez JM, Corrêa-Netto C, Calvete JJ. Combined venomics, venom gland transcriptomics, bioactivities, and antivenomics of two Bothrops jararaca populations from geographic isolated regions within the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest. J Proteomics 2015; 135:73-89. [PMID: 25968638 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2015.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Bothrops jararaca is a slender and semi-arboreal medically relevant pit viper species endemic to tropical and subtropical forests in southern Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina (Misiones). Within its geographic range, it is often abundant and is an important cause of snakebite. Although no subspecies are currently recognized, geographic analyses have revealed the existence of two well-supported B. jararaca clades that diverged during the Pliocene ~3.8Mya and currently display a southeastern (SE) and a southern (S) Atlantic rainforest (Mata Atlântica) distribution. The spectrum, geographic variability, and ontogenetic changes of the venom proteomes of snakes from these two B. jararaca phylogroups were investigated applying a combined venom gland transcriptomic and venomic analysis. Comparisons of the venom proteomes and transcriptomes of B. jararaca from the SE and S geographic regions revealed notable interpopulational variability that may be due to the different levels of population-specific transcriptional regulation, including, in the case of the southern population, a marked ontogenetic venom compositional change involving the upregulation of the myotoxic PLA2 homolog, bothropstoxin-I. This population-specific marker can be used to estimate the proportion of venom from the southern population present in the B. jararaca venom pool used for the Brazilian soro antibotrópico (SAB) antivenom production. On the other hand, the southeastern population-specific D49-PLA2 molecules, BinTX-I and BinTX-II, lend support to the notion that the mainland ancestor of Bothrops insularis was originated within the same population that gave rise to the current SE B. jararaca phylogroup, and that this insular species endemic to Queimada Grande Island (Brazil) expresses a pedomorphic venom phenotype. Mirroring their compositional divergence, the two geographic B. jararaca venom pools showed distinct bioactivity profiles. However, the SAB antivenom manufactured in Vital Brazil Institute neutralized the lethal effect of both venoms to a similar extent. In addition, immobilized SAB antivenom immunocaptured most of the venom components of the venoms of both B. jararaca populations, but did not show immunoreactivity against vasoactive peptides. The Costa Rican bothropic-crotalic-lachesic (BCL) antivenom showed the same lack of reactivity against vasoactive peptides but, in addition, was less efficient immunocapturing PI- and PIII-SVMPs from the SE venom, and bothropstoxin-I, a CRISP molecule, and a D49-PLA2 from the venom of the southern B. jararaca phylogroup. The remarkable paraspecificity exhibited by the Brazilian and the Costa Rican antivenoms indicates large immunoreactive epitope conservation across the natural history of Bothrops, a genus that has its roots in the middle Miocene. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Omics Evolutionary Ecolog.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Gonçalves-Machado
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biologia Estrutural, Laboratório de Hemostase e Venenos, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Rede Proteomica do Rio de Janeiro, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil; Laboratorio de Venómica Estructural y Funcional, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, CSIC, Valencia, Spain
| | - Davinia Pla
- Laboratorio de Venómica Estructural y Funcional, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, CSIC, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Libia Sanz
- Laboratorio de Venómica Estructural y Funcional, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, CSIC, Valencia, Spain
| | - Roberta Jeane B Jorge
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza 60430-270, Brazil
| | - Moema Leitão-De-Araújo
- Fundação Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do Sul, Museu de Ciências Naturais, Núcleo Regional de Ofiologia de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Maria Lúcia M Alves
- Fundação Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do Sul, Museu de Ciências Naturais, Núcleo Regional de Ofiologia de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Diego Janisch Alvares
- Laboratorio de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçãlves 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Joari De Miranda
- Hygeia Biotecnologia Aplicada S.A., Fundação Bio-Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jenifer Nowatzki
- Hygeia Biotecnologia Aplicada S.A., Fundação Bio-Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Karen de Morais-Zani
- Laboratorio de Herpetologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil 1500, São Paulo 05503-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Wilson Fernandes
- Laboratorio de Herpetologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil 1500, São Paulo 05503-900, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Julián Fernández
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Russolina B Zingali
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biologia Estrutural, Laboratório de Hemostase e Venenos, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Rede Proteomica do Rio de Janeiro, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil.
| | - José María Gutiérrez
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Carlos Corrêa-Netto
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biologia Estrutural, Laboratório de Hemostase e Venenos, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Rede Proteomica do Rio de Janeiro, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil; Instituto Vital Brazil, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Juan J Calvete
- Laboratorio de Venómica Estructural y Funcional, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, CSIC, Valencia, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Gantchoff MG, Belant JL. Anthropogenic and environmental effects on invasive mammal distribution in northern Patagonia, Argentina. Mamm Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2014.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
38
|
Steen DA, McClure CJW, Sutton WB, Rudolph DC, Pierce JB, Lee JR, Smith LL, Gregory BB, Baxley DL, Stevenson DJ, Guyer C. Copperheads are Common when Kingsnakes are Not: Relationships Between the Abundances of a Predator and One of their Prey. HERPETOLOGICA 2014. [DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-13-00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David A. Steen
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | | | - William B. Sutton
- School of Agricultural, Forest and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - D. Craig Rudolph
- United States Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75965, USA
| | - Josh B. Pierce
- United States Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75965, USA
| | - James R. Lee
- The Nature Conservancy, CSJFTC-ENV Building 6530, Camp Shelby, MS 39407, USA
| | - Lora L. Smith
- Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, 3988 Jones Center Drive, Newton, GA 39870, USA
| | - Beau B. Gregory
- Coastal and Nongame Resources Division, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA
| | - Danna L. Baxley
- Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Frankfort, KY 40601, USA
| | - Dirk J. Stevenson
- The Orianne Society, Indigo Snake Initiative, Clayton, GA 30525, USA
| | - Craig Guyer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| |
Collapse
|