Foraging space as a limited resource: inter- and intra-specific competition among sympatric pursuit-diving seabirds
Competition is thought to play a fundamental role in structuring avian communities, yet this has been difficult to quantify and demonstrate in marine ecosystems. We tested for fine-scale competition over foraging space between sympatric pursuit-diving seabirds, Marbled Murrelet ( Brachyramphus marmo...
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2011
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z11-006 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/z11-006 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z11-006 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z11-006 2024-06-23T07:52:12+00:00 Foraging space as a limited resource: inter- and intra-specific competition among sympatric pursuit-diving seabirds Ronconi, R.A. Burger, A.E. 2011 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z11-006 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/z11-006 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z11-006 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 89, issue 4, page 356-368 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 journal-article 2011 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z11-006 2024-05-24T13:05:54Z Competition is thought to play a fundamental role in structuring avian communities, yet this has been difficult to quantify and demonstrate in marine ecosystems. We tested for fine-scale competition over foraging space between sympatric pursuit-diving seabirds, Marbled Murrelet ( Brachyramphus marmoratus (J.F. Gmelin, 1789)) and Common Murre ( Uria aalge (Pontoppidan, 1763)). We simultaneous assessed the effects of inter- and intra-specific competition among these predators, predicting that the larger Common Murres would out-compete the smaller Marbled Murrelets for foraging space. A theodolite was used to map the fine-scale (±2 m) distributions of birds on the water; distance from shore measurements and nearest-neighbour spatial statistics quantified the spatial overlap and segregation between species. Species distributions differed with respect to distance from shore, but overlapped extensively within 1200 m of the shoreline. Nearest-neighbour statistics, assessed with randomization tests, showed Marbled Murrelets foraging farther from Common Murres (mean distances 294 m) than from other Marbled Murrelets (95 m), but groups of Common Murres foraged with similar spacing among conspecifics (266 m) and competitors (186 m). These results suggest avoidance of Common Murres by Marbled Murrelets (interspecific competition) but intraspecifc competition among Common Murres. Avoidance behaviour may minimize the impacts of aggression or competition, but by avoiding Common Murres, the Marbled Murrelets may also be reducing their foraging opportunities. Article in Journal/Newspaper Common Murre Uria aalge uria Canadian Science Publishing Canadian Journal of Zoology 89 4 356 368 |
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Open Polar |
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Canadian Science Publishing |
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crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
description |
Competition is thought to play a fundamental role in structuring avian communities, yet this has been difficult to quantify and demonstrate in marine ecosystems. We tested for fine-scale competition over foraging space between sympatric pursuit-diving seabirds, Marbled Murrelet ( Brachyramphus marmoratus (J.F. Gmelin, 1789)) and Common Murre ( Uria aalge (Pontoppidan, 1763)). We simultaneous assessed the effects of inter- and intra-specific competition among these predators, predicting that the larger Common Murres would out-compete the smaller Marbled Murrelets for foraging space. A theodolite was used to map the fine-scale (±2 m) distributions of birds on the water; distance from shore measurements and nearest-neighbour spatial statistics quantified the spatial overlap and segregation between species. Species distributions differed with respect to distance from shore, but overlapped extensively within 1200 m of the shoreline. Nearest-neighbour statistics, assessed with randomization tests, showed Marbled Murrelets foraging farther from Common Murres (mean distances 294 m) than from other Marbled Murrelets (95 m), but groups of Common Murres foraged with similar spacing among conspecifics (266 m) and competitors (186 m). These results suggest avoidance of Common Murres by Marbled Murrelets (interspecific competition) but intraspecifc competition among Common Murres. Avoidance behaviour may minimize the impacts of aggression or competition, but by avoiding Common Murres, the Marbled Murrelets may also be reducing their foraging opportunities. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ronconi, R.A. Burger, A.E. |
spellingShingle |
Ronconi, R.A. Burger, A.E. Foraging space as a limited resource: inter- and intra-specific competition among sympatric pursuit-diving seabirds |
author_facet |
Ronconi, R.A. Burger, A.E. |
author_sort |
Ronconi, R.A. |
title |
Foraging space as a limited resource: inter- and intra-specific competition among sympatric pursuit-diving seabirds |
title_short |
Foraging space as a limited resource: inter- and intra-specific competition among sympatric pursuit-diving seabirds |
title_full |
Foraging space as a limited resource: inter- and intra-specific competition among sympatric pursuit-diving seabirds |
title_fullStr |
Foraging space as a limited resource: inter- and intra-specific competition among sympatric pursuit-diving seabirds |
title_full_unstemmed |
Foraging space as a limited resource: inter- and intra-specific competition among sympatric pursuit-diving seabirds |
title_sort |
foraging space as a limited resource: inter- and intra-specific competition among sympatric pursuit-diving seabirds |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z11-006 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/z11-006 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z11-006 |
genre |
Common Murre Uria aalge uria |
genre_facet |
Common Murre Uria aalge uria |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 89, issue 4, page 356-368 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z11-006 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
89 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
356 |
op_container_end_page |
368 |
_version_ |
1802643431895334912 |