Experiments with artificial nests provide evidence for ant community stratification and nest site limitation in a tropical forest

The distribution of the arboreal ant community plus a termite species of the genus Nasutitermes was inventoried on 938 red mangrove, Rhizophora mangle L., trees in a completely flooded mangrove forest of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Colonies sheltered in dry hollow branches of the trees and the pseudobulbs of the epiphytic orchid, Myrmecophila christinae. Two size classes of dry hollow tree branches were categorized in order to test differences in ant distribution. As some trees remained unoccupied by either an ant or a termite colony, we deduced that the competition for nesting sites was low. Differences in the composition of the ant community corresponded to the nature of the shelters (i.e. diameter of the hollow branches or orchid pseudobulbs). The ant fauna was richer in the large dry hollow branches of R. mangle than in the smaller ones, with certain ant species belonging to the subfamilies Ponerinae and Formicinae being significantly more frequent in the large dry hollow branches than in the small ones. Cephalotes and Pseudomyrmex were the most frequent ant genera inhabiting the dry branches of R. mangle, while Dolichoderus bispinosus was the most frequent ant species inhabiting the orchid pseudobulbs. Arboreal Nasutitermes sp. selected mostly the orchid pseudobulbs and thus indirectly interfered with ant nest-site selection. Our results highlight niche differentiation through the selection of nest sites among different types of shelter.

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Experimental nest site limitation affects reproductive strategies and parental investment in a hole-nesting passerine

Animal Behaviour ◽

10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.01.012 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 77 (5) ◽

pp. 1075-1083 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Alain Jacot ◽

Mihai Valcu ◽

Kees van Oers ◽

Bart Kempenaers

Keyword(s):

Parental Investment ◽

Reproductive Strategies ◽

Nest Site ◽

Nest Site Limitation

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Effects of Nest-Site Selection on Depredation of Artificial Nests

Journal of Wildlife Management ◽

10.2307/3801298 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 53 (1) ◽

pp. 21 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Richard H. Yahner ◽

Richard A. Voytko

Keyword(s):

Site Selection ◽

Nest Site ◽

Nest Site Selection ◽

Artificial Nests

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Nest-Site Reuse Patterns for a Cavity-Nesting Bird Community in Interior British Columbia

The Auk ◽

10.1093/auk/119.2.391 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 119 (2) ◽

pp. 391-402 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

K. E H. Aitken ◽

K. L. Wiebe ◽

K. Martin

Keyword(s):

British Columbia ◽

Nest Site ◽

Bird Community ◽

Species Variation ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Nest Cavity ◽

Cavity Nesting ◽

Managed Landscapes ◽

Nest Site Limitation ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Most obligate cavity-nesting birds are considered to be nest-site limited, either by time or energy to excavate or to acquire suitable holes for nesting. We examined rates of nest-cavity reuse for a rich community of cavity-nesting birds in mixed forests in interior British Columbia. Using a sample of 402 cavity-reuse cases over five years, we measured cavity reuse for 20 cavity-nesting bird and mammal species (three guilds), and examined the relationship between nest-cavity reuse and features of cavities, nest trees, and forest stands. Eight percent of used cavities were destroyed between years. Reuse rates were 17% for the cavities of weak excavators such as nuthatches and chickadees, 28% for formerly active woodpecker nests, and 48% for cavities previously used by secondary cavity nesting birds, but there was considerable species variation within all guilds. Nest cavities in aspen that were deep with large entrances had the highest reuse. At the forest stand level, cavities in trees close to edges and in sites with more edge habitat had greater reuse. Reused cavities tended to be occupied in sequential years rather than being inactive for a year. With increasing amounts of managed landscapes, availability of suitable cavities for forest nesting vertebrates is decreasing. Reuse of existing cavities might help mitigate the problem of nest-site limitation.

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An experimental approach to understanding the use of mistletoe as a nest substrate for birds: nest predation

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr06144 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 65 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Stuart J. N. Cooney ◽

David M. Watson

Keyword(s):

Site Selection ◽

Nest Predation ◽

Nest Site ◽

Nest Site Selection ◽

Artificial Nests ◽

Bird Populations ◽

Nest Sites ◽

South Wales ◽

Eucalypt Woodland ◽

Substrate Variation

Recent research has documented an unprecedented diversity of birds using mistletoes as nest-sites, and a strong preference for nesting in mistletoes has recently been demonstrated for some species. The consequences and underlying reasons for this behaviour have not been evaluated, and it is unclear whether nests in mistletoes confer advantages compared with other available substrates. Nest predation is often cited as the most important factor regulating many bird populations and is thought to influence all aspects of nest-site selection. To evaluate whether nest predation may play a role in the widespread use of mistletoe as a nest-site, we conducted an artificial nest predation experiment in a eucalypt woodland in southern New South Wales, Australia. Artificial nests were modelled on noisy friarbird (Philemon corniculatus: Meliphagidae) nests, baited with a single quail egg and checked after four days. We used logistic regression to model the rate of depredation between plant substrates, and demonstrate that, in this experiment, mistletoe nests experienced a lower proportion of predation than eucalypt nests (51.5% versus 63.8% respectively). This finding suggests that predation may influence the widespread use of mistletoe as a nest-site in a range of habitats and regions. In addition to clarifying priorities for further work on mistletoe nesting, this finding has implications for studies of nest-site selection generally, with researchers encouraged to supplement between-substrate comparisons with direct measurements of within-substrate variation.

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