Resource partitioning and niche segregation in a steppe bird assemblage
Entity
UAM. Departamento de EcologíaPublisher
Akademiai Kiado Rt.Date
2015-12-01Citation
10.1556/168.2015.16.2.5
Community Ecology 16.2 (2015): 178 - 188
ISSN
1585-8553 (print); 1588-2756 (online)DOI
10.1556/168.2015.16.2.5Funded by
This paper is a contribution to projects CGL2004-06147-C02-01, CGL2004-06147-C02-02 and CGL2009-13029/BOS of the Spanish Ministry of Science, as well as to the REMEDINAL 2 (S-2009/AMB/1783) and 3CM. (S2013/MAE-2719) networks of the CAMProject
Gobierno de España. CGL2004-06147-C02-01; Gobierno de España. CGL2004-06147-C02-02; Gobierno de España. CGL2009-13029/BOS; Comunidad de Madrid. S-2009/AMB/1783/REMEDINAL2; Comunidad de Madrid. S2013/MAE-2719/REMEDINAL3Editor's Version
http://dx.doi.org/10.1556/168.2015.16.2.5Subjects
Community assembly; Farmland birds; Habitat selection; Microhabitat; Niche overlap; Species coexistence; ZoologíaNote
This is a final version of authorRights
© 2015 Akadémiai KiadóAbstract
Niche theory predicts that coexisting species will partition resources to limit the effects of interspecific competition. We examined microhabitat partitioning in six sets of steppe birds associated to agroecosystems in central Spain (female and male Great Bustards Otis tarda, female and male Little Bustards Tetrax tetrax, Red-legged Partridges Alectoris rufa and Eurasian Stone-curlews Burhinus oedicnemus) to estimate realized niche breadth, overlap and segregation. Principal Components Analysis on data from used and random microhabitat locations produced two axes we retained for analysis related with two key factors: cover-visibility and food availability. Non-parametric kernel density functions were calculated for each of the PCA axes and species (or sexes), and niche overlap estimated as the area shared between species' density functions. Null models were run to evaluate overlap significance. In analyses of microhabitat selection by the six sets of birds, 13 out of 15 pairs had significant resource partitioning and niche segregation, except for the pairs partridge and female Great Bustard and the two sexes of Great Bustard. Eurasian Stone-curlew showed wider trophic niche breadth, although segregated from the other species, probably because of its higher invertebrate requirements. Great and Little Bustards segregated in both niche axes, selecting microhabitat according to their body size. Accessibility to food resources and shelter seems to be similar for partridges and female Great Bustards, overlapping in their selection, which may indicate the existence of segregation in other niche factors (e.g., feeding habits). Great Bustard males showed niche overlap with females. Little Bustard males showed feeding microhabitat selection patterns similar to those of females, although they preferred more open microhabitats to meet their sexual display requirements. The entire assemblage had significantly less overlap than expected by chance, suggesting that differential microhabitat selection and realized niche partitioning may explain coexistence in steppe bird communities. Our results suggest that the maintenance of different microhabitat structure should be a priority in the management of agricultural environments
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Google Scholar:Traba Díaz, Juan
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Morales Prieto, Manuel Borja
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Carmona, C. P.
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Delgado, M. Paula
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