Article
Ecology
Clarissa R. Teixeira, Silvina Botta, Marta J. Cremer, Milton C. C. Marcondes, Luiza B. Pereira, Seth D. Newsome, Fabio G. Daura Jorge, Paulo C. Simoes-Lopes
Summary: This study found that some individuals within populations of Guiana dolphins exhibit specialized feeding behavior, despite being considered generalists. The specific feeding habits are influenced by environmental factors and population characteristics.
Article
Ecology
Devin L. Johnson, Michael T. Henderson, David L. Anderson, Travis L. Booms, Cory T. Williams
Summary: Intra- and inter-specific resource partitioning is a fundamental component of trophic ecology, and individual niche variation is one mechanism for achieving this partitioning. The Niche Variation Hypothesis predicts that inter-individual trait variation leads to functional trade-offs in foraging efficiency, resulting in populations composed of individual dietary specialists. Our study on an Arctic raptor guild found a high degree of niche overlap between three species, with gyrfalcons displaying a positive relationship between individual specialization and population niche width.
Article
Ecology
Marie R. G. Attard, Anna Lewis, Stephen Wroe, Channing Hughes, Tracey L. Rogers
Summary: Research found that whiskers could record at least nine months of an animal's ecological history and that their growth is not linear, but gradually slows down over time. The study demonstrates that sequentially sampled whiskers have the potential to track monthly and seasonal isotopic changes of an individual animal in the wild.
Article
Ecology
Douglas Sponsler, Katharina Kallnik, Fabrice Requier, Alice Classen, A. Fabienne Maihoff, Johanna Sieger, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
Summary: Bumble bees are highly selective generalists, choosing plants based on their characteristics and coexisting based on dietary niche overlap in resource-limited environments. Their floral preferences vary across species and environments, possibly representing adaptive flexibility to high elevations and seasonal changes. Patterns of resource partitioning may determine species coexistence under altered distributions caused by climate and land use change.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Brian A. Gill, George Wittemyer, Thure E. Cerling, Paul M. Musili, Tyler R. Kartzinel
Summary: Individual animals should adjust diets based on food availability. Using DNA metabarcoding, we examined the dietary patterns of elephants from two different family groups in Kenya. Our results showed seasonal shifts in food composition and overlap between individuals, with elephants of both groups having more cohesive diets during dry seasons. However, the dominant family exhibited greater individuality in their diets, suggesting divergent nutritional requirements associated with calf dependency and preferred habitats.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Nicholas L. Fowler, Tyler R. Petroelje, Todd M. Kautz, Nathan J. Svoboda, Jared F. Duquette, Kenneth F. Kellner, Dean E. Beyer, Jerrold L. Belant
Summary: The study provides support for the parallel niche release hypothesis by demonstrating decreased competition between wolves and coyotes and increased coyote niche breadth and density. It highlights the relationship between niche breadth and population density in shaping the realized niche of species.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Juan Pedro Ferrio, Tatiana A. Shestakova, Jorge del Castillo, Jordi Voltas
Summary: In the Mediterranean region, mixed forests of Aleppo pine and holm oak are widespread, with niche segregation playing a role in their prevalence. Competition affects oak's climate response, while pine's response remains insensitive to competition. Presence of pines has positive effects on oaks, but competition limits oak's ability to recover after drought.
Article
Ecology
Kelly L. Endres, Connor N. Morozumi, Xingwen Loy, Heather M. Briggs, Paul J. CaraDonna, Amy M. Iler, Devon A. Picklum, William A. Barr, Berry J. Brosi
Summary: The composition of plant-pollinator interactions is dynamic, and our understanding of how these interactions change in nature is limited. Research indicates that in drought years, plants' floral visitation niches expand while the composition of flower visitors does not show statistically distinguishable changes.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Brandon S. Harris, Jason A. DeBoer, James T. Lamer
Summary: The introduction of non-native fishes has had a significant impact on freshwater ecosystems, particularly invasive planktivorous fishes. This study examines the trophic overlap between bigheaded carps and native planktivores, and how it varies with ecological factors and between rivers. The results show high trophic overlap between species, indicating potential resource competition, with higher overlap in low-density areas. The study also found that bigmouth buffalo exhibited a divergent trophic response compared to other native planktivores.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Anubhav Mohiley, Katja Tielboerger, Michael Weber, Stephan Clemens, Michal Gruntman
Summary: Plants can respond to competition through physiological or morphological changes, affecting their foraging strategy. This study found that simulated competition enhanced metal accumulation in the metal hyperaccumulating plant A. halleri, especially in less metal-tolerant plants from non-metalliferous soils, with a stronger response for zinc over cadmium. The results support the idea that metal accumulation by hyperaccumulating plants may be facultative and change based on competition-induced demand.
Article
Ecology
Anne Lize, Nils Teichert, Jean-Marc Roussel, Anthony Acou, Eric Feunteun, Alexandre Carpentier
Summary: This study examines the ecological niche of six diadromous fish species obstructed by two river dams and reveals their habitat preferences and carbon sources using stable isotope analysis. The results indicate that different fish species utilize different resources in different habitats, and some species have larger niche overlaps.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Massimiliano Drago, Celia Llorach, Unai Ormazabal Santa Cruz, Lisette Zenteno-Devaud, Lorena Rebolledo, Diego Rita, Manel Gazo, Luis Cardona
Summary: This study used stable isotope ratios in whiskers and blood of young and subadult male Antarctic fur seals to investigate their diet. The results showed that Antarctic fur seals rely predominantly on Antarctic krill year-round, with penguins as their secondary prey. These findings highlight the importance of considering the dietary reliance of young and subadult male Antarctic fur seals in ecosystem-based fisheries management.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joanna L. Harris, Clare B. Embling, Genevieve Alexander, David Curnick, Ronan Roche, Niv Froman, Marleen Stuhr, Elaine S. Fileman, Simon Hilbourne, Rebecca Carter, Annie Murray, Jessica Savage, Guy M. W. Stevens
Summary: This study investigated the foraging ecology of reef manta rays in the Chagos Archipelago using stable isotope analysis. The results showed that the population mainly forages in nearshore environments and their foraging strategies and locations vary annually. However, illegal fishing and lost fishing gear pose threats to their conservation.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Liang Song, Bin Yang, Lu-Lu Liu, Yu-Xuan Mo, Wen-Jie Liu, Xian-Jing Meng, Hua-Zheng Lu, Yuan Li, Sissou Zakari, Zheng-Hong Tan, Ze-Xin Fan, Yong-Jiang Zhang
Summary: This study investigated water uptake depths and leaf traits of dominant tree species in a subtropical forest in China. The findings suggest that interspecific competition for water sources may increase the risk of tree dieback in drought years, highlighting the importance of understanding water use patterns for predicting forest response.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fenfen Ji, Xufa Ma, Longhui Qiu, Zhipeng Kang, Jianzhong Shen
Summary: The study used stable isotope analysis to measure the ecological effects of introduced Bighead Carp in Ulungur Lake. The results showed that the presence of Bighead Carp led to a decrease in phytoplankton contributions and an increase in particulate organic matter contributions for other fish species. The isotopic niche width and niche overlap of fish species also increased following the carp stocking. These findings suggest that the introduction of Bighead Carp had negative effects on the fish community in Ulungur Lake.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)