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High trophic niche overlap within the aquatic carnivore guild in vernal ponds
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Magliochetti, Concetta. High trophic niche overlap within the aquatic carnivore guild in vernal ponds. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-k8x7-xb11

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TitleHigh trophic niche overlap within the aquatic carnivore guild in vernal ponds
NameMagliochetti, Concetta (author); González, Angélica (chair); Geneva, Anthony (member); Savage, Amy (member); Rutgers University; Graduate School - Camden
Date Created2022
Other Date2022-10 (degree)
SubjectBiology, Ecology, Food chains (Ecology) -- New Jersey -- Pine Barrens
Extent39 pages : illustrations
DescriptionThe underlying mechanisms shaping niche size and overlap within and between species are crucial for understanding species coexistence and community assembly. The hunting strategy of and the competition between predators shape their diets, but many species can adjust their niches via trophic or microhabitat differentiation to minimize foraging competition with co-occurring species. Niches can also change in response to environmental factors such as nutrient enrichment, which can affect the diversity and abundance of prey resources to consumers. Here we tested for trophic niche partitioning and niche specialization within an invertebrate carnivore guild. To do this, we sampled populations of arachnids and odonates, dominant riparian carnivores, in vernal ponds across a nutrient gradient in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. We used stable isotope analysis of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) to obtain time- and space-integrated information on trophic niches of these populations. Our results showed variation in the trophic niche size of arachnids and odonates, however, our findings revealed a lack of niche differentiation between populations of arachnids and odonates within and across ponds. Additionally, neither nutrient enrichment, nor prey abundance or diversity were good predictors of niche width of these predators. Our results suggest that these co-occurring predators can coexist with minimal trophic niche overlap. As changes in climate shift species distributions and alter community assemblages, it is important to be able to predict how species will respond to overlaps in their distributions.
NoteM.S.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Genretheses
Persistent URLhttps://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-k8x7-xb11
LanguageEnglish
CollectionCamden Graduate School Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
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