Functional and numerical responses of shrews to competition vary with mouse density.
For decades, ecologists have debated the importance of biotic interactions (e.g., competition) and abiotic factors in regulating populations. Competition can influence patterns of distribution, abundance, and resource use in many systems but remains difficult to measure. We quantified competition be...
Published in: | PLOS ONE |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2018
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189471 https://doaj.org/article/7cbcc29332864302a4113ceab84f9f95 |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:7cbcc29332864302a4113ceab84f9f95 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:7cbcc29332864302a4113ceab84f9f95 2023-05-15T18:03:32+02:00 Functional and numerical responses of shrews to competition vary with mouse density. Carolyn A Eckrich Elizabeth A Flaherty Merav Ben-David 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189471 https://doaj.org/article/7cbcc29332864302a4113ceab84f9f95 EN eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5752000?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0189471 https://doaj.org/article/7cbcc29332864302a4113ceab84f9f95 PLoS ONE, Vol 13, Iss 1, p e0189471 (2018) Medicine R Science Q article 2018 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189471 2022-12-30T20:52:18Z For decades, ecologists have debated the importance of biotic interactions (e.g., competition) and abiotic factors in regulating populations. Competition can influence patterns of distribution, abundance, and resource use in many systems but remains difficult to measure. We quantified competition between two sympatric small mammals, Keen's mice (Peromyscus keeni) and dusky shrews (Sorex monticolus), in four habitat types on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska. We related shrew density to that of mice using standardized regression models while accounting for habitat variables in each year from 2010-2012, during which mice populations peaked (2011) and then crashed (2012). Additionally, we measured dietary overlap and segregation using stable isotope analysis and kernel utilization densities and estimated the change in whole community energy consumption among years. We observed an increase in densities of dusky shrews after mice populations crashed in 2012 as expected under competitive release. In addition, competition coefficients revealed that the influence of Keen's mice was dependent on their density. Also in 2012, shrew diets shifted, indicating that they were able to exploit resources previously used by mice. Nonetheless, increases in shrew numbers only partially compensated for the community energy consumption because, as insectivores, they are unlikely to utilize all food types consumed by their competitors. In pre-commercially thinned stands, which exhibit higher diversity of resources compared to other habitat types, shrew populations were less affected by changes in mice densities. These spatially and temporally variable interactions between unlikely competitors, observed in a relatively simple, high-latitude island ecosystem, highlight the difficulty in assessing the role of biotic factors in structuring communities. Article in Journal/Newspaper Prince of Wales Island Alaska Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Prince of Wales Island ENVELOPE(-99.001,-99.001,72.668,72.668) PLOS ONE 13 1 e0189471 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Medicine R Science Q |
spellingShingle |
Medicine R Science Q Carolyn A Eckrich Elizabeth A Flaherty Merav Ben-David Functional and numerical responses of shrews to competition vary with mouse density. |
topic_facet |
Medicine R Science Q |
description |
For decades, ecologists have debated the importance of biotic interactions (e.g., competition) and abiotic factors in regulating populations. Competition can influence patterns of distribution, abundance, and resource use in many systems but remains difficult to measure. We quantified competition between two sympatric small mammals, Keen's mice (Peromyscus keeni) and dusky shrews (Sorex monticolus), in four habitat types on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska. We related shrew density to that of mice using standardized regression models while accounting for habitat variables in each year from 2010-2012, during which mice populations peaked (2011) and then crashed (2012). Additionally, we measured dietary overlap and segregation using stable isotope analysis and kernel utilization densities and estimated the change in whole community energy consumption among years. We observed an increase in densities of dusky shrews after mice populations crashed in 2012 as expected under competitive release. In addition, competition coefficients revealed that the influence of Keen's mice was dependent on their density. Also in 2012, shrew diets shifted, indicating that they were able to exploit resources previously used by mice. Nonetheless, increases in shrew numbers only partially compensated for the community energy consumption because, as insectivores, they are unlikely to utilize all food types consumed by their competitors. In pre-commercially thinned stands, which exhibit higher diversity of resources compared to other habitat types, shrew populations were less affected by changes in mice densities. These spatially and temporally variable interactions between unlikely competitors, observed in a relatively simple, high-latitude island ecosystem, highlight the difficulty in assessing the role of biotic factors in structuring communities. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Carolyn A Eckrich Elizabeth A Flaherty Merav Ben-David |
author_facet |
Carolyn A Eckrich Elizabeth A Flaherty Merav Ben-David |
author_sort |
Carolyn A Eckrich |
title |
Functional and numerical responses of shrews to competition vary with mouse density. |
title_short |
Functional and numerical responses of shrews to competition vary with mouse density. |
title_full |
Functional and numerical responses of shrews to competition vary with mouse density. |
title_fullStr |
Functional and numerical responses of shrews to competition vary with mouse density. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Functional and numerical responses of shrews to competition vary with mouse density. |
title_sort |
functional and numerical responses of shrews to competition vary with mouse density. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189471 https://doaj.org/article/7cbcc29332864302a4113ceab84f9f95 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-99.001,-99.001,72.668,72.668) |
geographic |
Prince of Wales Island |
geographic_facet |
Prince of Wales Island |
genre |
Prince of Wales Island Alaska |
genre_facet |
Prince of Wales Island Alaska |
op_source |
PLoS ONE, Vol 13, Iss 1, p e0189471 (2018) |
op_relation |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5752000?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0189471 https://doaj.org/article/7cbcc29332864302a4113ceab84f9f95 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189471 |
container_title |
PLOS ONE |
container_volume |
13 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
e0189471 |
_version_ |
1766174414374699008 |