Data from: Multidimensional stable isotope analysis illuminates resource partitioning in a sub-Antarctic island bird community ...

• Main Authors: Connan, Maelle, Dilley, Ben, Whitehead, Thomas, Davies, Delia, McQuaid, Christopher, Ryan, Peter
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Dryad 2020
• Subjects: Halobaena caerulea; Egg shells; Eudyptes chrysolophus; Eudyptes chrysocome filholi; Aptenodytes patagonicus; Egg membranes; Macronectes giganteus; carbon stable isotopes; Oxygen stable isotopes; Catharacta antarctica; Diomedea exulans; Procellaria aequinoctialis; Chionis minor; Nitrogen stable isotopes; Pterodroma macroptera; Macronectes halli; Thalassarche chrysostoma; Antarctic; Chionis; Giganteus; Southern Ocean; Antarc*; Antarctica; Marion Island
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2m0sr43; https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.2m0sr43

1. A central theme in community ecology is understanding how similar species co-exist and how their interactions may evolve in the context of climate change. Most studies of resource partitioning among central place foragers, particularly birds, focus on the offspring-rearing period, when they are accessible, but breeding success may be determined earlier and little is known about how such species partition resources at the onset of breeding. 2. We used a non-invasive approach to evaluate resource partitioning in co-existing females at a sub-Antarctic island during their pre-laying periods. 3. Three hypotheses were tested using carbon, nitrogen and oxygen stable isotope ratios measured in shells and membranes of hatched eggs as ecological tracers: 1) resource partitioning by geographic location and trophic level will exist among the 12 bird species and will be enhanced within taxonomic groups; 2) given the absence of strong oxygen gradients in the Southern Ocean we will not detect spatial structuring based ... : Connan et al_Ecography 2019_Stable isotopes dataDetailed stable isotope data of egg shells and egg membranes for 12 bird species breeding at Marion Island (Southern Ocean).dryad data_Connan et al_Ecography_2019.xlsx ...