The evolution of competing species of terrestrial salamanders: niche partitioning or interference?

Summary One of the central assumptions of evolutionary ecology is that interspecific competition is a potent evolutionary force acting on coexisting species. There are few animal species that provide an opportunity for an experimental analysis of the evolutionary consequences of the phenomenon. We have taken advantage of the fact that two species of terrestrial salamander,Plethodon glutinosus andP. jordani, have different altitudinal distributions on two mountain ranges in North Carolina. Field removal experiments showed that interspecfic competition was much stronger in the Great Smoky Mountains than in the Balsam Mountains, and transplant experiments between the two mountain ranges showed that neither species from the Balsam Mountains had a measurable effect on its congener in the Smokies, although both species from the Smokies had strong negative effects on the Balsam congeners. Other experiments were conducted on the behavioral and ecological changes that have (or have not) evolved in the two areas. Our studies show that increased interspecific interference was the major evolutionary response of these largePlethodon species to interspecific competition, and that partitioning of food or microhabitat was not involved.     

Is there a temporal niche separation in the leaf phenology of savanna trees and grasses?

Aim It has been proposed that, in tropical savannas, trees deploy their leaves earlier in the growing season and grasses deploy their leaves later. This hypothesis implies a mechanism that facilitates the coexistence of trees and grasses in savannas. If true, this hypothesis would also allow algorithms to use differences in the phenological timing of grass and tree leaves to partition the relative contribution of grasses and trees to net primary production. In this study we examine whether a temporal niche separation between grasses and trees exists in savanna. Location A semi‐arid, subtropical savanna, Kruger National Park, South Africa. Methods We use a multi‐spectral camera to track through an entire growing season the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of individual canopies of grasses and trees at eight sites arranged along a precipitation and temperature gradient. Results Among trees, we identified two distinct phenological syndromes: an early flushing syndrome and a late‐flushing syndrome. Leaf flush in the tree strategies appears to pre‐empt rainfall, whereas grass leaf flush follows the rain. The growing season of trees is 20 (late‐flushing trees) to 27 (early flushing trees) days longer than that of the grasses. Main conclusions We show that grasses and trees have different leaf deployment strategies. Trees deployed leaves at lower temperatures than grasses and retained them for longer at the end of the growing season. The timing of the increase in NDVI is, however, similar between grasses and late‐flushing trees and this complicates the separation of grass and tree signals from multi‐spectral satellite imagery.     

Nest‐site selection by Blue‐black Grassquits in a Neotropical savanna: do choices influence nest success?

ABSTRACT.   Nest-site choice affects individual fitness and possibly reflects natural selection of the capacity of individuals to select appropriate microhabitat features. From 2003 to 2005, we examined nest-site characteristics and nesting success of Blue-black Grassquits ( Volatinia jacarina ) in central Brazil. We compared the characteristics of nest sites and nonused sites, as well as the characteristics of successful and unsuccessful nests. Grassquit nest sites were structurally more complex than nonused sites. Shrub height and the interaction between vegetation height and percentage of ground coverage were the most important predictors of nest placement. Grassquits used only four (20%) of the 20 grass species in the study area, with Paspalum pectinatum used less than expected based on availability and Melinis minutiflora more than expected. The only variable that differed between unsuccessful and successful nests was the distance to nearest conspecific nest; the latter were about twice as far from neighboring nests as unsuccessful nests. The evaluation of microhabitat candidate models indicated that the daily survival probability of nests varied chiefly as a function of the interaction between their external height and inner depth. Greater survival occurred when the external height was minimized in combination with augmentation of internal depth of the nest cup. The link between nest success and the inverse association of external height and internal depth suggests that minimizing the visual cues of nest presence while maintaining a viable incubation chamber can positively affect nest success. Thus, we suggest that nest concealment is the most critical attribute associated with nest site choice for Blue-black Grassquits in the study area. Vegetation cover above the nest seems to be particularly important, perhaps as a strategy to deter visually oriented aerial predators.     

Foraging of rocky habitat cichlid fishes in Lake Malawi: coexistence through niche partitioning?

The haplochromine cichlid fish communities of the rocky habitats of Lake Malawi are highly diverse; however, many species live side by side with apparently very similar resource requirements. There is a long-standing debate concerning whether these species partition their resources on a finer scale than has been previously reported or if species that are truly ecologically indistinguishable can coexist. A field study of food resource use was conducted to determine whether coexisting species segregate their diet and foraging sites. Significant differences between species were found, yet considerable inter-specific resource use overlap was commonplace. The data indicate that these cichlid species coexist both with and without niche differentiation. We propose that alternatives to niche differentiation should be considered to explain how many species coexist in Lake Malawi cichlid communities. Received: 5 October 1998 / Accepted: 30 June 1999     

Photosynthetic characteristics of dipterocarp seedlings in three tropical rain forest light environments: a basis for niche partitioning?

In three tropical rain forest light environments in Sabah, Malaysia, we compared photosynthesis in seedlings of ten climax tree species with putatively differing shade tolerances. The objectives of the study were (a) to characterise the range of photosynthetic responses in ten species of the Dipterocarpaceae and (b) to elucidate those photosynthetic characteristics that might provide a basis for niche partitioning. Seedlings were acclimated (c. 7 months) in three light environments; understorey, partial shade and a gap (140 m²). The light environments represented a gradation in median diurnal (0630–1830 hours) photon flux density (PFD) ranging from understorey (4.7 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹), through partial shade (21.2 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹) to gap (113.7 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹). Integrated diurnal PFD were in the sequence gap > partial shade > understorey (15.2, 4.7, 1.3 mol m⁻² day⁻¹, respectively). In gap-acclimated plants, species differed in the photosynthetic light-response variables apparent quantum yield, dark respiration rate, light compensation point, net saturated leaf assimilation rate (A _sat), and in stomatal conductance (g _s sat) when assimilation rate (A) was saturated. A light-demanding pioneer species (Macaranga hypoleuca) and a shade-demanding understorey species (Begonia sp.) had, respectively, higher and lower A _sat and g _s sat than the dipterocarp species. In high-light conditions A _sat and g _s sat were strongly positively correlated in dipterocarp species. Differing photosynthetic characteristics of gap-acclimated plants suggest that, in these dipterocarp species, different rates of carbon fixation may be an important factor contributing towards niche partitioning. Mean integrated diurnal A (A _diurnal) in the gap, partial shade and understory were, respectively, 122.9, 52.7, 20.5 mmol m⁻² day⁻¹. Differences occurred in A _diurnal of dipterocarp species between light environments. When Macaranga was included, differences in A _diurnal were evident in the gap and partial shade, and in both cases were attributed to the pioneer. For the variable A _diurnal, there was of a shift in the rank position of Macaranga among light environments, but a shift did not occur among the dipterocarp species. Results from this study are consistent with the idea that rates of carbon fixation per unit leaf area may contribute towards niche differentiation between the climax and single pioneer species, but not within the group of climax species. Other physiological and/or carbon allocation factors may be involved in any niche partitioning; dipterocarp species often have inherently different growth rates and susceptibility to herbivory. As an alternative to niche partitioning, dipterocarp species may co-exist in natural light environments as a result of habitat disequilibrium or purely stochastic processes. Received: 2 April 1997 / Accepted: 13 July 1997     

The biomechanics of skipping gaits: a third locomotion paradigm?

Skipping, a gait children display when they are about four- to five-years-old, is revealed to be more than a behavioural peculiarity. By means of metabolic and biomechanical measurements at several speeds, the relevance of skipping is shown to extend from links between bipedal and quadrupedal locomotion (namely galloping) to understanding why it could be a gait of choice in low-gravity conditions, and to some aspects of locomotion evolution (ground reaction forces of skipping seem to originate from pushing the walking gait to unnaturally high speeds). When the time-courses of mechanical energy and the horizontal ground reaction force are considered, a different locomotion paradigm emerges, enabling us to separate, among the bouncing gaits, the trot from the gallop (quadrupeds) and running from skipping (bipeds). The simultaneous use of pendulum-like and elastic mechanisms in skipping gaits, as shown by the energy curve analysis, helps us to understand the low cost of transport of galloping quadrupeds.     

An assessment of diurnal water uptake in a mesic prairie: evidence for hydraulic lift?

Hydraulic lift, the passive movement of water through plant roots from wet to dry soil, is an important ecohydrological process in a wide range of water-limited ecosystems. This phenomenon may also alter plant functioning, growth, and survival in mesic grasslands, where soil moisture is spatially and temporally variable. Here, we monitored diurnal changes in the isotopic signature of soil and plant xylem water to assess (1) whether hydraulic lift occurs in woody and herbaceous tallgrass prairie species (Rhus glabra, Amorpha canescens, Vernonia baldwinii, and Andropogon gerardii), (2) if nocturnal transpiration or grazing by large ungulates limits hydraulic lift, and (3) if a dominant grass, A. gerardii, utilizes water lifted by other tallgrass prairie species. Broadly, the results shown here suggest that hydraulic lift does not appear to be widespread or common in this system, but isolated instances suggest that this process does occur within tallgrass prairie. The isolated instance of hydraulic lift did not vary by grazing treatment, nor did they result in facilitation for neighboring grasses. We suggest that the topographic complexity of this tallgrass prairie and the high rates of nocturnal transpiration observed in this study likely limit the frequency and occurrence of hydraulic lift. These results suggest that hydraulic lift can be a patchy process, particularly in heterogeneous landscapes.     

Positive relationship between regional distribution and local abundance in stream insects: a consequence of niche breadth or niche position?

A positive relationship between regional distribution and local abundance of species is almost ubiquitous macroecological pattern, yet the mechanisms behind this pattern remain poorly understood. I tested for the relationship between regional distribution and local abundance of stream insect species in a boreal drainage system, with a specific aim to examine if this relationship follows the mechanistic basis of either the niche-based (niche breadth and niche position) or metapopulation models. There was a positive relationship between regional distribution and local abundance of stream insects, and there also were significant relationships between distribution/abundance and niche breadth or niche position. These results thus suggest that widely distributed species tend to be, on average, locally more abundant, have wider niches and lower marginality of niche position with regard to environmental factors than species that have more restricted distributions. However, although significant, there was much unexplained variability around these relationships, suggesting that other mechanisms (e.g. metapopulation dynamics) besides differences in species' niches are likely to affect the distribution and abundance of stream insects, at least within a drainage system. The results thus showed that 1) although niche position was more consistently related to the positive distribution-abundance relationship, ecologists should not abandon niche breadth as a potential mechanism behind this relationship, and 2) that several mechanisms are likely to act in concert in determining the relationship between distribution and abundance of species.     

How do sink and source activities influence the reproduction and vegetative growth of spring ephemeral herbs under different light conditions?

Spring ephemeral herbs inhabiting deciduous forests commonly complete reproduction and vegetative growth before canopy closure in early summer. Effects of shading by early canopy closure on reproductive output and vegetative growth, however, may vary depending on the seasonal allocation patterns of photosynthetic products between current reproduction and storage for future growth in each species. To clarify the effects of sink–source balance on seed production and bulb growth in a spring ephemeral herb, Gagea lutea, we performed a bract removal treatment (source reduction) and a floral-bud removal treatment (sink reduction) under canopy and open conditions. Leaf carbon fixations did not differ between the forest and open sites and among treatments. Bract carbon fixations were also similar between sites but tended to decrease when floral buds were removed. Seed production was higher under open condition but decreased by the bract-removal treatment under both light conditions. In contrast, bulb growth was independent of light conditions and the bract-removal treatment but increased greatly by the bud-removal treatment. Therefore, leaves and bracts acted as specialized source organs for vegetative and reproductive functions, respectively, but photosynthetic products by bracts were flexibly used for bulb growth when plants failed to set fruits. Extension of bright period was advantageous for seed production (i.e., source limited) but not for vegetative growth (i.e., sink limited) in this species.     

The taste of origin in a lady beetle: do males discriminate between females based on cuticular hydrocarbons?

The Asian lady beetle Harmonia axyridis originates from Asia and has established invasive populations worldwide. Recent population genetic studies trace their invasion routes and demonstrate that bottlenecks in population size have reduced their genetic diversity. Consequently, phenotypical differences are highlighted between native and invasive populations. Among phenotypical traits, cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) might reflect the geographical origin of a lady beetle, especially because of their genetic basis. The present study investigates whether (i) the CHC profiles qualitatively and quantitatively differ between females of H. axyridis from native and invasive populations and (ii) males discriminate females from native and invasive populations using CHC profiles. CHCs are solvent‐extracted before being quantified and identified by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. In total, 17 CHCs are detected from female elytra, including six alkanes, three polyunsaturated and eight monounsaturated alkenes. The total quantity of CHCs differs among the populations, with lady beetles from Tai'an (China) displaying higher CHC concentrations than lady beetles from Gembloux (Belgium) and from Beijing (China) populations. Multivariate analyses detect differences in CHC qualitative profiles, with females from Tai'an being different from the two other populations. Finally, behavioural assays show that females originating from the native Tai'an population are less preferred by males, whereas females from the invasive population are mounted more often. The behavioural assays suggest that CHCs are not involved in discrimination of mating partners based on their origin.     

Does a tradeoff exist between morphological and physiological root plasticity? A comparison of grass growth forms

A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential tradeoff between morphological and physiological root plasticity in caespitose and rhizomatous grass growth forms in semi-arid and mesic communities. Morphological and physiological root plasticity were evaluated with in-growth cores and excised root assays, respectively. The rhizomatous grass in the semi-arid community was the only species to display significant physiological root plasticity, but all species possessed the capacity to proportionally increase ¹⁵N uptake with increasing concentrations of (¹⁵NH₄)₂SO₄ solution. Neither the caespitose nor the rhizomatous grass displayed morphological root plasticity in response to nitrogen addition in the mesic community. In contrast, significant morphological root plasticity occurred in species of both growth forms in the semi-arid community. These data suggest that the compact architecture and the ability to accumulate nutrients in soils directly beneath caespitose grasses did not increase selection pressure for physiological root plasticity at the expense of morphological root plasticity and that the coarse grained foraging strategy and low density of large diameter roots did not increase morphological root plasticity at the expense of physiological root plasticity in rhizomatous grasses. These preliminary data suggest that 1) a high maximum uptake rate for nitrogen in these perennial grasses may minimize the expression of physiological root plasticity, 2) morphological and physiological root plasticity may represent complimentary, rather than alternative, foraging strategies, and 3) the expression of root plasticity may be strongly influenced by abiotic variables within specific habitats.     

The palatability of Neotropical poison frogs in predator‐prey systems: do alkaloids make the difference?

Neotropical poison frogs sequester alkaloid‐based chemical defenses from their diet, which seem to repel invertebrate predators after contact. In this study, we tested the reaction of predatory ants toward skin secretions of captive‐bred poison frogs without alkaloids. Although the secretions had a smell and taste similar to those of wild‐caught frogs, the ants did not avoid them, but actually preferred them. We infer that amphibian secretions are attractive to invertebrate predators (probably due to palatable nutritive components), but that this attraction is overridden when unpalatable alkaloids are present.     

Rainforest and savanna landscape dynamics in New Caledonia: Towards a mosaic of stable rainforest and savanna states?

Stable forested environments can be converted to savanna in response to changes in environmental disturbances. New Caledonia is a biodiversity hotspot; significant ecological and economic resources would be lost if forests were turned into savanna by anthropogenic environmental changes. On the landscape scale, systems that have undergone shifts of this kind are characterized by sharp forest–savanna boundaries and mosaic‐like distributions of savanna and forest. Understanding the locations and the dynamics of such boundaries is a challenge for ecologists and is critical for landscape management and biodiversity conservation. Using a time series of aerial photographs (1955–2000) and a forest habitat suitability map, we tested the hypothesis that topography and spatial processes, especially those relating to fire spread and seed dispersal, are the main determinants of the spatial distribution of rainforest and savanna in a New Caledonian landscape covering 24 km². Within the studied landscape, the overall forest coverage decreased by 24% between 1976 and 2000. This was primarily due to the contraction of forests on west‐facing slopes, which accounted for about 90% of the total loss. Conversely, the east‐facing forests seemed to have contracted extensively prior to the studied period, and were confined to refuges. A habitat suitability index calculated from the landscape's topographical features using generalized additive models accurately predicted both the presence of forests and the probability of forest expansion/contraction. We also provide evidence that spatial processes such as fire spread and seed dispersal limit the expansion and contraction of forests. Our results suggest that rainforests on west‐facing slopes in New Caledonia will be progressively destroyed by fire until they are restricted to refuges along thalwegs and creeks, as appears to have already happened for their east‐facing counterparts.     

The brain as a source of selection on the social niche: examples from the psychophysics of mate choice in túngara frogs

The main premise of this article is that various cognitive functions involved in signal analysis, memory, and decision making, all modulated by the animal's internal milieu, can generate selection for the forms of signals used in social interactions. Thus, just as an animal's view of its world, its Umwelt, determines how it interacts with its ecological niche, it can influence the evolution of its social niche. Thus, the brain is not only a landscape on which selection can act, but also it is a powerful source of selection on the animal's social niche.     

Are fire,soil fertility and toxicity,water availability,plant functional diversity,and litter decomposition related in a Neotropical savanna?

Understanding how biodiversity and ecosystem functioning respond to changes in the environment is fundamental to the maintenance of ecosystem function. In realistic scenarios, the biodiversity-ecosystem functioning path may account for only a small share of all factors determining ecosystem function. Here, we investigated the strength to which variations in environmental characteristics in a Neotropical savanna affected functional diversity and decomposition. We sought an integrative approach, testing a number of pairwise hypotheses about how the environment, biodiversity, and functioning were linked. We used structural equation modelling to connect fire frequency, soil fertility, exchangeable Al, water availability, functional diversity of woody plants, tree density, tree height, and litter decomposition rates in a causal chain. We found significant effects of soil nutrients, water availability, and Al on functional diversity and litter decomposition. Fire did not have a significant direct effect on functional diversity or litter decomposition. However, fire was connected to both variables through soil fertility. Functional diversity did not influence rates of litter decomposition. The mediated effects that emerged from pairwise interactions are encouraging not only for predicting the functional consequences of changes in environmental variables and biodiversity, but also to caution against predictions based on only environmental or only biodiversity change.     

The association between parasite infection and growth rates in Arctic charr: do fast growing fish have more parasites?

Trophically transmitted parasites are known to impair fish growth in experimental studies, but this is not well documented in natural populations. For Arctic charr [Salvelinus alpinus (L.)], individual growth is positively correlated with food consumption. However, increased food consumption will increase the exposure to trophically transmitted parasites. Using a correlative approach, we explore the association between parasite abundance and the individual growth of Arctic charr from five lakes within the same watercourse. The studied parasite species differ in their life cycles and cost to the host. We predicted a positive association between parasite abundance and fish growth for parasites of low pathogenicity reflecting high consumption rates, and a negative association at higher parasite abundances for more costly parasites. We found no direct negative associations between parasite abundance and fish growth. The relationship between parasite abundance and growth was linearly positive for the low costly Crepidostomum sp. and concave for the more costly Eubothrium salvelini. In natural fish populations, the negative effects of parasites on fish growth might be outweighed by the energy assimilated from feeding on the intermediate host. However, experimental studies with varying food consumption regimes are needed to determine the mechanisms underlying our observations.

     

Water channels in plants: do basic concepts of water transport change?

A review and re-examination of literature data shows that highlyselective water channels (aquaporins) have marked effects onthe overall transport properties of the plasma membrane of plantcells. The application of the channel blocker HgCl₂ (50 µM)or of high external concentrations of permeating solutes reducedthe water permeability (hydraulic conductivity, Lp) of Charainternodes down to 25% of the control. In treated cells, reflectioncoefficients (