Faculty of Science

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Spatially nested niche partitioning between syntopic grazers at foraging arena scale within overlapping home ranges.
(Ecological Society of America, 2015-09) Owen-Smith, N.; Martin, J.; Yoganand, K.
Niche separation among species with similar resource requirements can be expressed at various spatiotemporal scales, from the resource components selected at feeding sites to habitat and home range occupation and ultimately geographic distribution ranges. African large herbivores present a challenge to niche theory because multiple species commonly overlap both spatially and in vegetation components consumed. Aided by GPS telemetry, we investigated the space use patterns of two large grazers that are frequently associated in mixed-species aggregations. Specifically, we compared a generalist grazer with hindgut fermentation (plains zebra) with a similar-sized grazing ruminant (blue wildebeest) in west-central Kruger National Park, South Africa. We found that herds of the two species overlapped substantially in the home ranges that they occupied, but exploited spatially distinct foraging arenas for periods lasting several days or weeks within these ranges. Moreover, wildebeest and zebra differed in duration of settlement, extent of areas occupied during settlement, consequent exploitation intensity per unit area, proportion of time spent within foraging arenas relative to roaming interludes, and movement rates while within these arenas. In particular, wildebeest herds concentrated within small areas for prolonged periods, while zebra herds used more foraging arenas but exploited them for briefer periods. Both species overlapped substantially in habitat use, although wildebeest more strongly favored gabbro uplands and sodic sites presenting short grass lawns while zebra made greater use of areas with a taller grass cover. Hence resource partitioning was expressed mainly through behavioral distinctions in patch exploitation at foraging arena scale rather than in home range or habitat separation. Although zebra may have been partially excluded from the grasslands kept short by wildebeest, these sites formed only a small part of the wider ranges utilized by zebra, thereby restricting the competitive consequences. Hence spatially nested resource partitioning of this form contributes to the coexistence of these two grazers, and may be a mechanism enabling niche separation among other species.
Nested species- rich networks of scavenging vertebrates support high levels of interspecific competition.
(Ecological Society of America, 2016-01) Sebastián-González, E.; Moleón, M.; Gibert, J.P.; Guimarães, P.R.; Sánchez-Zapata, J.A.; Botella, F.; Mateo-Tomás, P.; Olea, P.P.
Disentangling the processes that shape the organization of ecological assemblages and its implications for species coexistence is one of the foremost challenges of ecology. Although insightful advances have recently related community composition and structure with species coexistence in mutualistic and antagonistic networks, little is known regarding other species assemblages, such as those of scavengers exploiting carrion. Here we studied seven assemblages of scavengers feeding on ungulate carcasses in mainland Spain. We used dynamical models to investigate if community composition, species richness and structure (nestedness) affect species coexistence at carcasses. Scavenging networks showed a nested pattern in sites where highly efficient, obligate scavengers (i.e., vultures) were present and a non- nested pattern everywhere else. Griffon Vulture ( Gyps fulvus ) and certain meso- facultative mammalian scavengers (i.e., red fox, Vulpes vulpes, and stone marten, Martes foina ) were the main species contributing to nestedness. Assemblages with vultures were also the richest ones in species. Nested species- rich assemblages with vulture presence were associated with high carcass consumption rates, indicating higher interspecific competition at the local scale. However, the proportion of species stopping the consumption of carrion (as derived from the competitive dynamic model) stabilized at high richness and nestedness levels. This suggests that high species richness and nestedness may characterize scavenging networks that are robust to high levels of interspecific competition for carrion. Some facilitative interactions driven by vultures and major facultative scavengers could be behind these observations. Our findings are relevant for understanding species' coexistence in highly competitive systems.

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