Ecological segregation in space, time and trophic niche of sympatric planktivorous petrels
The principle of competitive exclusion postulates that ecologically-similar species are expected to partition their use of resources, leading to niche divergence. The most likely mechanisms allowing such coexistence are considered to be segregation in a horizontal, vertical or temporal dimension, or...
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ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:502013 2023-05-15T13:48:07+02:00 Ecological segregation in space, time and trophic niche of sympatric planktivorous petrels Navarro, Joan Votier, Stephen C. Aguzzi, Jacopo Chiesa, Juan J. Forero, Manuela G. Phillips, Richard A. 2013-04-30 text http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/502013/ https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/502013/1/journal.pone.0062897.pdf http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0062897 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062897 en eng Public Library of Science https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/502013/1/journal.pone.0062897.pdf Navarro, Joan; Votier, Stephen C.; Aguzzi, Jacopo; Chiesa, Juan J.; Forero, Manuela G.; Phillips, Richard A. 2013 Ecological segregation in space, time and trophic niche of sympatric planktivorous petrels. PLoS ONE, 8 (4). e62897. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062897 <https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062897> Publication - Article PeerReviewed 2013 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062897 2023-02-04T19:37:00Z The principle of competitive exclusion postulates that ecologically-similar species are expected to partition their use of resources, leading to niche divergence. The most likely mechanisms allowing such coexistence are considered to be segregation in a horizontal, vertical or temporal dimension, or, where these overlap, a difference in trophic niche. Here, by combining information obtained from tracking devices (geolocator-immersion and time depth recorders), stable isotope analyses of blood, and conventional morphometry, we provide a detailed investigation of the ecological mechanisms that explain the coexistence of four species of abundant, zooplanktivorous seabirds in Southern Ocean ecosystems (blue petrel Halobaena caerulea, Antarctic prion Pachyptila desolata, common diving petrel Pelecanoides urinatrix and South Georgian diving petrel P. georgicus). The results revealed a combination of horizontal, vertical and temporal foraging segregation during the breeding season. The stable isotope and morphological analyses reinforced this conclusion, indicating that each species occupied a distinct trophic space, and that this appears to reflect adaptations in terms of flight performance. In conclusion, the present study indicated that although there was a degree of overlap in some measures of foraging behaviour, overall the four taxa operated in very different ecological space despite breeding in close proximity. We therefore provide important insight into the mechanisms allowing these very large populations of ecologically-similar predators to coexist. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic prion Pachyptila desolata Southern Ocean Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Antarctic Southern Ocean PLoS ONE 8 4 e62897 |
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Open Polar |
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Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
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ftnerc |
language |
English |
description |
The principle of competitive exclusion postulates that ecologically-similar species are expected to partition their use of resources, leading to niche divergence. The most likely mechanisms allowing such coexistence are considered to be segregation in a horizontal, vertical or temporal dimension, or, where these overlap, a difference in trophic niche. Here, by combining information obtained from tracking devices (geolocator-immersion and time depth recorders), stable isotope analyses of blood, and conventional morphometry, we provide a detailed investigation of the ecological mechanisms that explain the coexistence of four species of abundant, zooplanktivorous seabirds in Southern Ocean ecosystems (blue petrel Halobaena caerulea, Antarctic prion Pachyptila desolata, common diving petrel Pelecanoides urinatrix and South Georgian diving petrel P. georgicus). The results revealed a combination of horizontal, vertical and temporal foraging segregation during the breeding season. The stable isotope and morphological analyses reinforced this conclusion, indicating that each species occupied a distinct trophic space, and that this appears to reflect adaptations in terms of flight performance. In conclusion, the present study indicated that although there was a degree of overlap in some measures of foraging behaviour, overall the four taxa operated in very different ecological space despite breeding in close proximity. We therefore provide important insight into the mechanisms allowing these very large populations of ecologically-similar predators to coexist. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Navarro, Joan Votier, Stephen C. Aguzzi, Jacopo Chiesa, Juan J. Forero, Manuela G. Phillips, Richard A. |
spellingShingle |
Navarro, Joan Votier, Stephen C. Aguzzi, Jacopo Chiesa, Juan J. Forero, Manuela G. Phillips, Richard A. Ecological segregation in space, time and trophic niche of sympatric planktivorous petrels |
author_facet |
Navarro, Joan Votier, Stephen C. Aguzzi, Jacopo Chiesa, Juan J. Forero, Manuela G. Phillips, Richard A. |
author_sort |
Navarro, Joan |
title |
Ecological segregation in space, time and trophic niche of sympatric planktivorous petrels |
title_short |
Ecological segregation in space, time and trophic niche of sympatric planktivorous petrels |
title_full |
Ecological segregation in space, time and trophic niche of sympatric planktivorous petrels |
title_fullStr |
Ecological segregation in space, time and trophic niche of sympatric planktivorous petrels |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ecological segregation in space, time and trophic niche of sympatric planktivorous petrels |
title_sort |
ecological segregation in space, time and trophic niche of sympatric planktivorous petrels |
publisher |
Public Library of Science |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/502013/ https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/502013/1/journal.pone.0062897.pdf http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0062897 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062897 |
geographic |
Antarctic Southern Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Southern Ocean |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic prion Pachyptila desolata Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic prion Pachyptila desolata Southern Ocean |
op_relation |
https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/502013/1/journal.pone.0062897.pdf Navarro, Joan; Votier, Stephen C.; Aguzzi, Jacopo; Chiesa, Juan J.; Forero, Manuela G.; Phillips, Richard A. 2013 Ecological segregation in space, time and trophic niche of sympatric planktivorous petrels. PLoS ONE, 8 (4). e62897. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062897 <https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062897> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062897 |
container_title |
PLoS ONE |
container_volume |
8 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
e62897 |
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1766248644227366912 |