Habitat use of co-occurring burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) in southeastern Ontario, Canada

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (9) ◽  
pp. 591-602
Author(s):  
K.W. Burke ◽  
J.D. Wettlaufer ◽  
D.V. Beresford ◽  
P.R. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Habitat Partitioning ◽  
Shared Resources ◽  
Burying Beetles ◽  
Local Diversity ◽  
Nicrophorus Orbicollis ◽  
Nicrophorus Marginatus

The coexistence of closely related species plays an important role in shaping local diversity. However, competition for shared resources can limit the ability of species to coexist. Many species avoid the costs of coexistence by diverging in habitat use, known as habitat partitioning. We examine patterns of habitat use in seven co-occurring species of burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus Fabricius, 1775), testing the hypothesis that Nicrophorus species partition resources by occupying distinct habitats. We surveyed Nicrophorus abundance and 54 habitat characteristics at 100 random sites spanning an environmentally diverse region of southeastern Ontario, Canada. We found that three species occupied distinct habitat types consistent with habitat partitioning. Specifically, Nicrophorus pustulatus Herschel, 1807, Nicrophorus hebes Kirby, 1837, and Nicrophorus marginatus Fabricius, 1801 appear to be specialists for forest canopy, wetlands, and open fields, respectively. In contrast, Nicrophorus orbicollis Say, 1825, Nicrophorus sayi Laporte, 1840, and Nicrophorus tomentosus Weber, 1801 appear to be generalists with wide breadths of habitat use. We were unable to identify the habitat associations of Nicrophorus defodiens Mannerheim, 1846. Our findings are consistent with habitat acting as an important resource axis along which some Nicrophorus species partition; however, divergence along other resource axes (e.g., temporal partitioning) also appears important for Nicrophorus coexistence.

Habitat use by stream-breeding frogs in south-east Sulawesi, with some preliminary observations on community organization

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 439-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graeme R. Gillespie ◽  
David Lockie ◽  
Michael P. Scroggie ◽  
Djoko T. Iskandar
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Community Organization ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Habitat Partitioning ◽  
Tropical Stream ◽  
Frog Species ◽  
Oviposition Sites ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Spatial Habitat

The habitat associations of stream-breeding frogs were examined along a series of stream transects on Buton Island in south-east Sulawesi, Indonesia. Of the eight frog species located along streams, four were observed breeding in stream habitats. We examined spatial habitat partitioning among these species. Three of the four species were found to be associated with a non-random selection of the available perch sites. Strong partitioning between species in habitat associations was found; partitioning of the available habitat space was primarily associated with differences in proximity to stream features, and in the height of perch sites. General observations indicated that oviposition sites of most species were associated with the microhabitats in which the adult frogs were found. All four stream-breeding species appear to have synchronous breeding phenologies and the spatial relationships of these species within the habitat space appear to reflect partitioning of calling sites and oviposition sites. The stream-breeding frog community in this region of Sulawesi has much lower species richness and less specialized habitat use compared with other tropical stream-breeding frog communities in the region.

Issues Based on Species Life History and Behavior

2021 ◽  
pp. 89-94
Author(s):  
Joseph A. Veech
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Radio Telemetry ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Habitat Analysis ◽  
The Individual ◽  
And Behavior

Species vary tremendously in their life histories and behavior. The particular life history traits and behavior of the focal species must be considered when designing a study to examine habitat associations. For some species, individuals use different areas (of the landscape or territory) for breeding and foraging. As such, the important characteristics for the foraging and breeding habitats may be different. The dramatically different life stages of some organisms (e.g., amphibians and some insects) often correspond to equally dramatic differences in habitat use between juveniles and adults. For some species, habitat use differs among seasons. Species that are highly mobile and have individuals that move around substantially on a daily or weekly basis are particularly challenging for a habitat analysis. For these species, the most efficient and appropriate study design may be one that tracks individuals (through radio-telemetry or GPS) and analyzes the environmental or habitat characteristics at locations where the individual has stopped, rather than trying to survey for the species in pre-established and insufficiently small survey plots. In addition, individual movement and the issues mentioned above may necessitate that environmental variables are measured and analyzed at multiple spatial scales.

scholarly journals Ecological divergence of burying beetles into the forest canopy

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5829 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jillian D. Wettlaufer ◽  
Kevin W. Burke ◽  
Adam Schizkoske ◽  
David V. Beresford ◽  
Paul R. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Burying Beetle ◽  
Burying Beetles ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Geographic Ranges ◽  
Vertical Partitioning ◽  
Nicrophorus Orbicollis ◽  
Carrion Beetles ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Closely related species with overlapping geographic ranges encounter a significant challenge: they share many ecological traits and preferences but must partition resources to coexist. In Ontario, potentially eleven species of carrion beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) live together and require vertebrate carrion for reproduction. Their reliance on an ephemeral and uncommon resource that is unpredictable in space and time is thought to create intense intra- and interspecific competition. Evidence suggests that burying beetle species reduce competition by partitioning carrion for breeding across different habitats, temperatures, and seasons. Here, we test predictions of an alternative axis for partitioning carrion: vertical partitioning between the ground and forest canopy. We conducted a survey of carrion beetles from May to July 2016 at the Queen’s University Biological Station across 50 randomly generated points using baited lethal traps at zero and six metres. Ground traps yielded more species and individuals compared to those in the canopy, and the number of individuals and species caught increased through the season in both trap types. Ground and canopy traps were accurately distinguished by the presence or absence of three species: ground traps contained more Nicrophorus orbicollis and Necrophila americana, while canopy traps contained more Nicrophorus pustulatus. We trapped 253 N. pustulatus in the canopy, but only 60 on the ground. N. pustulatus is thought to be rare across its geographic range, but our results suggest it is uniquely common in canopy habitats, demonstrating a vertical partitioning of habitat and resources. Our results are consistent with N. pustulatus having diverged into canopy habitats as a strategy to coexist with closely related sympatric species when competing for similar resources. We still, however, do not know the traits that allow N. pustulatus to flourish in the canopy, exactly how N. pustulatus uses canopy resources for breeding, or the factors that restrict the expansion of other burying beetles into this habitat.

scholarly journals Predicting biomass of resident kōkopu (Galaxias) populations using local habitat composition

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Ryan Jack Crichton ◽  
Michael J. H. Hickford ◽  
Angus A. R. McIntosh ◽  
David R. Schiel
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Habitat Restoration ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Information Criterion ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
The Body ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Anthropogenic Stressors ◽  
Pool Area

With the global decline of freshwater fishes, quantifying the body size-specific habitat use of vulnerable species is crucial for accurately evaluating population health, identifying the effects of anthropogenic stressors, and directing effective habitat restoration. Populations of New Zealand’s endemic kōkopu species ( Galaxias fasciatus , G. argenteus , and G. postvectis ) have declined substantially over the last century in response to anthropogenic stressors, including habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, and over-exploitation. Despite well-understood habitat associations, key within-habitat features driving the reach-scale biomass of small and large kōkopu remain unclear. Here, we investigated whether the total biomass of small (≤ 90 mm) and large (> 90 mm) kōkopu was associated with total pool area, average pool depth, total bank cover, average substrate size, and average forest canopy cover across fifty-seven 50 m reaches. These features were selected because generally pool habitats are productive feeding areas, bank cover and substrate interstices are important refuges, and forest cover provides greater food availability. Because kōkopu are nocturnal, populations were sampled with removal at night using headlamps and hand-nets until reaches were visually depleted. Using Akaike’s information criterion, it was found that increases in large kōkopu biomass were most parsimoniously explained by greater pool area and bank cover, whereas increases in small kōkopu biomass were best explained by low bank cover and greater average forest cover. This study demonstrated the importance of considering the ontogenetic shift in species’ habitat use and provided an effective modelling approach for quantifying the size-specific habitat use of these stream-dwelling fish.

scholarly journals Ecological divergence of burying beetles into the forest canopy

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jillian D Wettlaufer ◽  
Kevin W Burke ◽  
Adam Schizkoske ◽  
David V Beresford ◽  
Paul R Martin
Keyword(s):  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Burying Beetle ◽  
Burying Beetles ◽  
Geographic Ranges ◽  
Vertical Partitioning ◽  
Nicrophorus Orbicollis ◽  
Carrion Beetles ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Closely related species with overlapping geographic ranges encounter a significant challenge: they share many ecological traits and preferences but must partition resources to coexist. In Ontario, potentially eleven species of carrion beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) live together and require vertebrate carrion for reproduction. Their reliance on an ephemeral and uncommon resource that is unpredictable in space and time is thought to create intense intra- and interspecific competition. Evidence suggests that burying beetle species reduce competition by partitioning carrion for breeding across different habitats, temperatures, and seasons. Here, we test predictions of an alternative axis for partitioning carrion: vertical partitioning between the ground and forest canopy. We conducted a survey of carrion beetles from May to July 2016 at the Queen’s University Biological Station across 50 randomly generated points using baited lethal traps at 0m and 6m. Ground traps yielded more species and individuals compared to those in the canopy, and the number of individuals and species caught increased through the season in both trap types. Ground and canopy traps were accurately distinguished by the presence or absence of three predictor species: ground traps contained more Nicrophorus orbicollis and Necrophila americana, while canopy traps contained more Nicrophorus pustulatus. Indeed, we trapped 253 N. pustulatus in the canopy, but only 60 on the ground; N. pustulatus was the most common species in the canopy, and the only species that was more common in the 6m traps than on the ground. N. pustulatus is thought to be rare across its geographic range, but our results suggest instead that N. pustulatus is uniquely common in canopy habitats, demonstrating a vertical partitioning of habitat and resources between N. pustulatus and other co-occurring burying beetles. Our results are consistent with N. pustulatus having diverged into canopy habitats as a strategy to coexist with closely related sympatric species when competing for similar resources. We still, however, do not know the traits that allow N. pustulatus to flourish in the canopy, exactly how N. pustulatus uses canopy resources for breeding, or the factors that restrict the expansion of other burying beetles into this habitat.

scholarly journals Using Public Land Cover Data to Determine Habitat Associations of Breeding Birds in Tuskegee National Forest, Alabama

2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 199-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J.W. McClure ◽  
Laura K. Estep ◽  
Geoffrey E. Hill
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Breeding Birds ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Tree Canopy ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
National Forest ◽  
Cover Type ◽  
Tree Canopy Cover

Abstract A decline in the numbers of breeding songbirds is assumed to be related to habitat loss, but for many species, habitat needs during the breeding season are not well understood. Therefore, we developed habitat use models to quantify habitat relationships for breeding birds within a mostlyforested landscape centered on Tuskegee National Forest, Alabama. We conducted bird counts at 338 points and derived habitat characteristics within 100 m of each point using the Alabama Gap Analysis Program land cover map and the National Land Cover Database Tree Canopy Cover map. We modeled avian abundances and habitat associations based on cover type and canopy cover using N-mixture models. We detected more than 16,000 individuals of 85 species, and we present models of abundances for 42 species. Canopy cover was the most influential habitat characteristic, although many species abundances were influenced by cover type. For most species, detection was influenced by observer; date, time, and weather variables were less important in determining detectability. We demonstrate how bird habitat associations can be modeled at a coarse spatial scale using publicly available land cover maps. Our observations regarding the habitat associations of birds in Tuskegee National Forest may be applicable elsewhere within the East Gulf Coastal Plain, but the regional specificity of habitat use should be tested before such extrapolations are justified.

scholarly journals Ecological divergence of burying beetles into the forest canopy

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jillian D Wettlaufer ◽  
Kevin W Burke ◽  
Adam Schizkoske ◽  
David V Beresford ◽  
Paul R Martin
Keyword(s):  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Burying Beetle ◽  
Burying Beetles ◽  
Geographic Ranges ◽  
Vertical Partitioning ◽  
Nicrophorus Orbicollis ◽  
Carrion Beetles ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Closely related species with overlapping geographic ranges encounter a significant challenge: they share many ecological traits and preferences but must partition resources to coexist. In Ontario, potentially eleven species of carrion beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) live together and require vertebrate carrion for reproduction. Their reliance on an ephemeral and uncommon resource that is unpredictable in space and time is thought to create intense intra- and interspecific competition. Evidence suggests that burying beetle species reduce competition by partitioning carrion for breeding across different habitats, temperatures, and seasons. Here, we test predictions of an alternative axis for partitioning carrion: vertical partitioning between the ground and forest canopy. We conducted a survey of carrion beetles from May to July 2016 at the Queen’s University Biological Station across 50 randomly generated points using baited lethal traps at 0m and 6m. Ground traps yielded more species and individuals compared to those in the canopy, and the number of individuals and species caught increased through the season in both trap types. Ground and canopy traps were accurately distinguished by the presence or absence of three predictor species: ground traps contained more Nicrophorus orbicollis and Necrophila americana, while canopy traps contained more Nicrophorus pustulatus. Indeed, we trapped 253 N. pustulatus in the canopy, but only 60 on the ground; N. pustulatus was the most common species in the canopy, and the only species that was more common in the 6m traps than on the ground. N. pustulatus is thought to be rare across its geographic range, but our results suggest instead that N. pustulatus is uniquely common in canopy habitats, demonstrating a vertical partitioning of habitat and resources between N. pustulatus and other co-occurring burying beetles. Our results are consistent with N. pustulatus having diverged into canopy habitats as a strategy to coexist with closely related sympatric species when competing for similar resources. We still, however, do not know the traits that allow N. pustulatus to flourish in the canopy, exactly how N. pustulatus uses canopy resources for breeding, or the factors that restrict the expansion of other burying beetles into this habitat.

Behaviour, habitat associations, and intrasexual differences of female Stone’s sheep

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (8) ◽  
pp. 1187-1201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew B.D. Walker ◽  
Katherine L. Parker ◽  
Michael P. Gillingham
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Predation Risk ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Phenological Stage ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
Lichen Cover ◽  
Ovis Dalli ◽  
Maternal Status

Stone’s sheep ( Ovis dalli stonei Allen, 1897) in northern British Columbia segregate sexually during most of the year, and intrasexually between maternal and nonmaternal females during spring and early summer. Our objective was to quantify intrasexual habitat use of female Stone’s sheep relative to maternal status using measures of behaviour and habitat use. We reviewed three hypotheses of intersexual segregation (predation-risk, forage-selection, and activity-budget hypotheses) to determine if they also explained intrasexual segregation of female Stone’s sheep. Female Stone’s sheep spent the majority of their active time foraging. Nursery groups spent shorter durations of time active, more time active in solid rock escape features, and less time active in shrub habitat than nonmaternal groups. The best predictive model describing intrasexual differences incorporated distance to nearest escape feature and size of nearest escape feature. Regardless of maternal status, female Stone’s sheep used low-elevation plant communities early in the growing season that were characterized by more shrub species and increased cover. As the growing season progressed, they tracked a phenological stage, moving up in elevation and associating with communities that contained increasing amounts of moss and lichen cover. The patterns in behaviour, habitat use, and vegetation associations between intrasexual groups of Stone’s sheep were best characterized by the predation-risk hypothesis.

scholarly journals Influence of Niche Overlap and Territoriality on Hybridization Between Hermit Warblers and Townsend's Warblers

The Auk ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 117 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott F. Pearson ◽  
David A. Manuwal
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Hybrid Zone ◽  
Parental Species ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Hybrid Zones ◽  
Parental Fitness ◽  
Habitat Transition ◽  
Habitat Variables ◽  
Washington Cascades

Abstract Hybrid zones between Townsend's Warblers (Dendroica townsendi) and Hermit Warblers (D. occidentalis) in the Pacific Northwest are narrow relative to estimated dispersal distances and appear to be moving, with Townsend's replacing Hermits. We examined whether the habitat-transition and parental-fitness asymmetry models can explain why these zones are narrow and moving by comparing habitat variables associated with warbler territories in the Washington Cascades hybrid zone. Habitat variables did not differ among phenotypes, suggesting that the habitat-transition model cannot explain the narrow and dynamic nature of this hybrid zone. Habitat characteristics of Hermit Warbler territories did not differ inside versus outside the hybrid zone, also suggesting that this zone is not associated with a region of habitat transition. The lack of difference in habitat use could be the result of comparing variables that are not important to pairing success. However, warblers tended to select territories on west-southwest aspects. South aspects in the southern Washington Cascades are dominated by Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and true fir, which is a habitat selected by female warblers when choosing among territories and males. The parental-fitness asymmetry model does not necessarily make predictions about habitat use within the hybrid zone but predicts the superiority of one parental species over the other. However, if significant overlap occurs in habitat use or niche (as in these warblers), then competition between parental species is likely to occur. To determine whether these species compete, we mapped 12 warbler territories and monitored an additional 94 territories throughout the breeding season and found that all males with neighbors compete for and hold exclusive territories. Thus, the pattern of habitat use and territoriality is consistent with the parental-fitness asymmetry model.

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