Spatial niche differentiation and coexistence at the edge: co-occurrence distribution patterns in Scurria limpets

2013 ◽  
Vol 483 ◽  
pp. 185-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
MA Aguilera ◽  
N Valdivia ◽  
BR Broitman
Keyword(s):  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Niche Differentiation ◽  
Spatial Niche

Distribution Patterns and Ecological Niches of the Red-tongued Pit Viper (Gloydius ussuriensis) and the Central Asian Pit Viper (Gloydius intermedius) in Cheonmasan Mountain, South Korea

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 348-354
Author(s):  
Min Seock Do ◽  
Ki-Baek Nam
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Ecological Niche ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Niche Differentiation ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Mountainous Area ◽  
Dry Land ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Geographical Environment

Studies on the distribution of species are important to understanding the interspecific ecological niche and habitat selection through geographic environmental information. Particularly, vipers in the same genus have been an important topic because they show differences in the preferred geographical environment, depending on the distance of the phylogenetic relationship. This study investigated the geographical environment of red-tongued pit vipers (Gloydius ussuriensis) and Central Asian pit vipers (Gloydius intermedius) in the mountainous area, Cheonmasan Mountain County Park, South Korea, from April 2012 to October 2014, to understand the relationships among their habitat characteristics and ecological niche. Red-tongued pit vipers mainly lived in low altitude, wet valley areas with a low solar reflectance, while Central Asian pit vipers inhabited high altitude, dry land with large amounts of sunshine. As a result, our study supports that the ecological niche of red-tongued pit vipers and Central Asian pit vipers, inhibiting in Cheonmasan Mountain was overlapped low according to the majority of geographical environmental variables. The differentiated diet preference might be took into consideration as one of the potential key factors to the ecological niche differentiation among two species.

scholarly journals Regional neutrality evolves through local adaptive niche evolution

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (7) ◽  
pp. 2612-2617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathew A. Leibold ◽  
Mark C. Urban ◽  
Luc De Meester ◽  
Christopher A. Klausmeier ◽  
Joost Vanoverbeke
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Evolution ◽  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Niche Differentiation ◽  
Priority Effects ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Stable Coexistence ◽  
Landscape Level

Biodiversity in natural systems can be maintained either because niche differentiation among competitors facilitates stable coexistence or because equal fitness among neutral species allows for their long-term cooccurrence despite a slow drift toward extinction. Whereas the relative importance of these two ecological mechanisms has been well-studied in the absence of evolution, the role of local adaptive evolution in maintaining biological diversity through these processes is less clear. Here we study the contribution of local adaptive evolution to coexistence in a landscape of interconnected patches subject to disturbance. Under these conditions, early colonists to empty patches may adapt to local conditions sufficiently fast to prevent successful colonization by other preadapted species. Over the long term, the iteration of these local-scale priority effects results in niche convergence of species at the regional scale even though species tend to monopolize local patches. Thus, the dynamics evolve from stable coexistence through niche differentiation to neutral cooccurrence at the landscape level while still maintaining strong local niche segregation. Our results show that neutrality can emerge at the regional scale from local, niche-based adaptive evolution, potentially resolving why ecologists often observe neutral distribution patterns at the landscape level despite strong niche divergence among local communities.

Understanding the ecological niche to elucidate spatial strategies of the southernmost Tupinambis lizards

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 551-565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofía Lanfri ◽  
Valeria Di Cola ◽  
Sergio Naretto ◽  
Margarita Chiaraviglio ◽  
Gabriela Cardozo
Keyword(s):  
Species Distribution ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Species Distribution Models ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Niche Differentiation ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Distribution Models ◽  
Interspecific Differences ◽  
Spatial Strategies

Understanding factors that shape ranges of species is central in evolutionary biology. Species distribution models have become important tools to test biogeographical, ecological and evolutionary hypotheses. Moreover, from an ecological and evolutionary perspective, these models help to elucidate the spatial strategies of species at a regional scale. We modelled species distributions of two phylogenetically, geographically and ecologically close Tupinambis species (Teiidae) that occupy the southernmost area of the genus distribution in South America. We hypothesized that similarities between these species might have induced spatial strategies at the species level, such as niche differentiation and divergence of distribution patterns at a regional scale. Using logistic regression and MaxEnt we obtained species distribution models that revealed interspecific differences in habitat requirements, such as environmental temperature, precipitation and altitude. Moreover, the models obtained suggest that although the ecological niches of Tupinambis merianae and T. rufescens are different, these species might co-occur in a large contact zone. We propose that niche plasticity could be the mechanism enabling their co-occurrence. Therefore, the approach used here allowed us to understand the spatial strategies of two Tupinambis lizards at a regional scale.

scholarly journals Variable Seed Bed Microsite Conditions and Light Influence Germination in Australian Winter Annuals

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isaac Ray Towers ◽  
David J Merritt ◽  
Todd E Erikson ◽  
Margaret M Mayfield ◽  
John M Dwyer
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Light Availability ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Niche Differentiation ◽  
Annual Plant ◽  
Germination Response ◽  
Spatial Niche ◽  
Germination Behaviour ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Annual Plant Species

Abstract Environmentally-cued germination may play an important role in promoting coexistence in Mediterranean annual plant systems if it causes niche differentiation across heterogenous microsite conditions. In this study, we tested how microsite conditions experienced by seeds in the field and light conditions in the laboratory influenced germination in twelve common annual plant species occurring in the understorey of the York gum-jam woodlands in southwest Western Australia. Specifically, we hypothesized that if germination promotes spatial niche differentiation then we should observe species-specific germination responses to light. In addition, we hypothesized that species’ laboratory germination response may depend on the microsite conditions experienced by seeds while buried. We tested the laboratory germination response of seeds of species under diurnally fluctuating light and complete darkness which were retrieved from microsites spanning local-scale environmental gradients known to influence community structure in this system. We found that seeds of six out of the twelve focal species exhibited significant positive germination responses to light but that the magnitude of these responses varied greatly. In addition, maximum germinability increased significantly across a gradient of canopy cover for two species, but we found little evidence to suggest that species’ relative light requirement for germination varied depending on microsite conditions. Our results suggest that variability in light availability may promote coexistence in this system and that the microsite conditions seeds experience in the intra-growing season period can further nuance species germination behaviour.

scholarly journals Variable seed bed microsite conditions and light influence germination in Australian winter annuals

Oecologia ◽  
2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isaac R. Towers ◽  
David J. Merritt ◽  
Todd E. Erickson ◽  
Margaret M. Mayfield ◽  
John M. Dwyer
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Light Availability ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Niche Differentiation ◽  
Annual Plant ◽  
Light Requirement ◽  
Germination Response ◽  
Spatial Niche ◽  
Germination Behaviour ◽  
Species Specific

AbstractEnvironmentally cued germination may play an important role in promoting coexistence in Mediterranean annual plant systems if it causes niche differentiation across heterogeneous microsite conditions. In this study, we tested how microsite conditions experienced by seeds in the field and light conditions in the laboratory influenced germination in 12 common annual plant species occurring in the understorey of the York gum-jam woodlands in southwest Western Australia. Specifically, we hypothesized that if germination promotes spatial niche differentiation, then we should observe species-specific germination responses to light. In addition, we hypothesized that species’ laboratory germination response may depend on the microsite conditions experienced by seeds while buried. We tested the laboratory germination response of seeds under diurnally fluctuating light and complete darkness, which were collected from microsites spanning local-scale environmental gradients known to influence community structure in this system. We found that seeds of 6 out of the 12 focal species exhibited significant positive germination responses to light, but that the magnitude of these responses varied greatly with the relative light requirement for germination ranging from 0.51 to 0.86 for these species. In addition, germination increased significantly across a gradient of canopy cover for two species, but we found little evidence to suggest that species’ relative light requirement for germination varied depending on seed bank microsite conditions. Our results suggest that variability in light availability may promote coexistence in this system and that the microsite conditions seeds experience in the intra-growing season period can further nuance species germination behaviour.

scholarly journals Spatial Niche Differentiation of Sympatric Branchiopoda in a Highly Unpredictable Ephemeral Pool

2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Chieh Wang ◽  
Wan-Ping Huang ◽  
Shiang-Lin Huang ◽  
Lien-Siang Chou
Keyword(s):  
Niche Differentiation ◽  
Spatial Niche

scholarly journals The Guaymas Basin Subseafloor Sedimentary Archaeome Reflects Complex Environmental Histories

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gustavo A. Ramírez ◽  
Luke J. McKay ◽  
Matthew W. Fields ◽  
Andrew Buckley ◽  
Carlos Mortera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of California ◽  
Sedimentary Environment ◽  
Archaeal Community ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Niche Differentiation ◽  
Spreading Center ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Differential Distribution ◽  
Guaymas Basin

AbstractWe explore archaeal distribution and environmental niche differentiation in sedimentary subseafloor habitats of Guaymas Basin and the adjacent Sonora Margin, located in the Gulf of California, México. Specifically, we survey diverse subseafloor habitats on the Guaymas Basin flanking regions that are extending from the spreading center, termed here “off-axis” sites. Sampling locations include (i) control sediments without hydrothermal or seep influence, (ii) Sonora Margin sediments underlying oxygen minimum zone water, (iii) compacted, highly reduced sediments from a pressure ridge with numerous seeps at the base of the Sonora Margin, and (iv) sediments impacted by hydrothermal circulation at the off-axis Ringvent site. Generally, archaeal 16S rRNA gene datasets are largely comprised of Bathyarchaeal lineages, members of the Hadesarchaea, MBG-D, TMEG, and ANME-1 groups. The most frequently observed 25 OTUs belong to members of these lineages, and correspond to approx. 40 to 80% of the sequence dataset in each sediment sample. Differential distribution patterns of these archaeal groups in downcore sediments uniquely characterize each major sedimentary environment. Variations in archaeal community composition reflect locally specific environmental challenges throughout the greater Guaymas Basin area. Background sediments are divided into surface and subsurface niches, reflecting increased selection of the archaeal community downcore. In sum, the environmental setting and history of a particular site, not isolated biogeochemical properties out of context, control the subseafloor archaeal communities in Guaymas Basin and Sonora Margin sediments.

scholarly journals Diet diversification shapes broad-scale distribution patterns in European bats

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antton Alberdi ◽  
Orly Razgour ◽  
Ostaizka Aizpurua ◽  
Roberto Novella-Fernandez ◽  
Joxerra Aihartza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Behavioral Plasticity ◽  
Niche Breadth ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Species Distributions ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Species Distribution Modelling ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Spatial Niche ◽  
Broad Scale

AbstractLarge-scale species’ distributions have been traditionally attributed to physiological traits related to abiotic factors, while behavioural features linked to biotic interactions have received little attention. We tested the relationship between trophic and spatial niche breadths through combining species distribution modelling with dietary DNA metabarcoding of over 400 bats sampled across Europe belonging to seven species. Our results point to a causality cascade between hunting plasticity, trophic niche breadth and spatial niche breadth, and thus indicate that behavioral plasticity and dietary diversification can contribute to shaping broad-scale species distributions.

scholarly journals Diversity, function and assembly of mangrove root-associated microbial communities at a continuous fine-scale

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Zhuang ◽  
Xiaoli Yu ◽  
Ruiwen Hu ◽  
Zhiwen Luo ◽  
Xingyu Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Niche Differentiation ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Fine Scale ◽  
Fungal Community Structure ◽  
Mangrove Root ◽  
Mangrove Roots ◽  
Metagenome Sequencing

AbstractMangrove roots harbor a repertoire of microbial taxa that contribute to important ecological functions in mangrove ecosystems. However, the diversity, function, and assembly of mangrove root-associated microbial communities along a continuous fine-scale niche remain elusive. Here, we applied amplicon and metagenome sequencing to investigate the bacterial and fungal communities among four compartments (nonrhizosphere, rhizosphere, episphere, and endosphere) of mangrove roots. We found different distribution patterns for both bacterial and fungal communities in all four root compartments, which could be largely due to niche differentiation along the root compartments and exudation effects of mangrove roots. The functional pattern for bacterial and fungal communities was also divergent within the compartments. The endosphere harbored more genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, lipid transport, and methane production, and fewer genes were found to be involved in sulfur reduction compared to other compartments. The dynamics of root-associated microbial communities revealed that 56–74% of endosphere bacterial taxa were derived from nonrhizosphere, whereas no fungal OTUs of nonrhizosphere were detected in the endosphere. This indicates that roots may play a more strictly selective role in the assembly of the fungal community compared to the endosphere bacterial community, which is consistent with the projections established in an amplification-selection model. This study reveals the divergence in the diversity and function of root-associated microbial communities along a continuous fine-scale niche, thereby highlighting a strictly selective role of soil-root interfaces in shaping the fungal community structure in the mangrove root systems.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document