47,709 research outputs found

    A contingency table approach based on nearest neighbour relations for testing self and mixed correspondence

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    Nearest neighbour methods are employed for drawing inferences about spatial patterns of points from two or more classes. We introduce a new pattern called correspondence which is motivated by (spatial) niche/habitat specificity and segregation, and define an associated contingency table called a correspondence contingency table, and examine the relation of correspondence with the motivating patterns (namely, segregation and niche specificity). We propose tests based on the correspondence contingency table for testing self and mixed correspondence and determine the appropriate null hypotheses and the underlying conditions appropriate for these tests. We compare finite sample performance of the tests in terms of empirical size and power by extensive Monte Carlo simulations and illustrate the methods on two artificial data sets and one real-life ecological data set.Peer Reviewe

    Provenance does matter: links between winter trophic segregation and the migratory origins of European robins

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    Amongst migratory species, it is common to find individuals from different populations or geographical origins sharing staging or wintering areas. Given their differing life histories, ecological theory would predict that the different groups of individuals should exhibit some level of niche segregation. This has rarely been investigated because of the difficulty in assigning migrating individuals to breeding areas. Here, we start by documenting a broad geographical gradient of hydrogen isotopes (δ2H) in robin Erithacus rubecula feathers across Europe. We then use δ2H, as well as wing-tip shape, as surrogates for broad migratory origin of birds wintering in Iberia, to investigate the ecological segregation of populations. Wintering robins of different sexes, ages and body sizes are known to segregate between habitats in Iberia. This has been attributed to the despotic exclusion of inferior competitors from the best patches by dominant individuals. We find no segregation between habitats in relation to δ2H in feathers, or to wing-tip shape, which suggests that no major asymmetries in competitive ability exist between migrant robins of different origins. Trophic level (inferred from nitrogen isotopes in blood) correlated both with δ2H in feathers and with wing-tip shape, showing that individuals from different geographic origins display a degree of ecological segregation in shared winter quarters. Isotopic mixing models indicate that wintering birds originating from more northerly populations consume more invertebrates. Our multi-scale study suggests that trophic-niche segregation may result from specializations (arising in the population-specific breeding areas) that are transported by the migrants into the shared wintering grounds

    Rotifer niche segregation factors

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    The niche space of a species has been defined as the region in N-dimensional environmental hyperspace in which the fitness of the individuals is positive. In zooplankton assemblages, there has been little consideration of how different density-dependent (i.e. resources) and density-independent (i.e. conditions) environmental factors relate to fitness components in the field, namely survival and reproduction. We studied the abundance and reproduction (egg ratio) variability of seven species of pelagic rotifers living in a high-mountain lake and their relation to a number of environmental factors by means of partial canonical correspondence analyses. The generally higher explanatory capacity of conditions over resources suggests that habitat partitioning among species largely relies on historical processes, which are internalised in life history traits of spatial and temporal habitat use. However, the increase in the relevance of resources when considering reproduction, as compared to abundance, indicates that there is still an on-going interactive niche segregation process among rotifer species, which affects present and future rotifer assemblages in the lake. Our study shows the value of considering measurements close to fitness components (e.g. egg ratio) for detecting on-going niche segregation processes in zooplankton, which may help to resolve paradoxes in relation to species coexistence in natural assemblages.Peer reviewe

    Resource Utilization and Environmental and Spatio-Temporal Overlap of a Hilltopping Lycaenid Butterfly Community in the Colombian Andes

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    Coexistence by a great number of species could reflect niche segregation at several resource axes. Differences in the use of a hilltop as mating site for a Eumaeini (Lycaenidae) community were measured to test whether niche segregation exists within this group. Specimens were collected throughout 21 samplings between July-October of 2004 and July-October of 2005. Two environmental variables and three temporal-spacial variables were analyzed utilizing null models with three randomization algorithms. Significant differences were found among the species with respect to utilization of vertical space, horizontal space, temporary distribution and environmental temperature. The species did not show significant differences with respect to light intensity. For all samplings, the niche overlap observed in the two environmental variables were higher or significantly higher than expected by chance, suggesting that niche segregation does not exist due to competition within these variables. Similar results were observed for temporal distribution. Some evidence of niche segregation was found in vertical space and horizontal space variables where some samples presented lower overlap than expected by chance. The results pointed out that community's assemblage could be mainly shaped in two ways. The first is that species with determined habitat requirements fit into unoccupied niche spaces. The second is by niche segregation in the vertical space distribution variable

    Seasonally persistent foraging niche segregation between sympatric Southern Rockhopper and Magellanic penguins breeding at Isla de los Estados, Argentina

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    Variation in the foraging strategies used among species is a key factor in determining the trophic structure of ecological communities. Moreover, foraging niche differentiation could be driven by inter-specific competition and/or variation within species due to seasonal, age, sex and/or individual factors. Using stable isotope analysis, we assessed inter- and intra-specific differences in the foraging niches of female Southern Rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome; SRP) and male and female Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus; MP) at Isla de los Estados, Argentina. We sampled whole blood and feathers from breeding adults, representing the breeding and pre-moult periods over two consecutive years (2012 and 2013). We also compared stable isotope values between tissue to test for consistency in individuals foraging niches and the potential for foraging niche specialisation and segregation within breeding pairs. We observed clear foraging niche segregation between species that persisted during both breeding and pre-moult periods. SRP foraged in more oceanic/pelagic waters (lower δ13C values) while MP used coastal/benthic foraging habitats (higher δ13C values). In addition, SRP fed on lower trophic level prey (low δ15N values) relative to MP during both time periods. The isotopic foraging niches of MP highly overlapped between sexes at the population level and there was little to no evidence of niche segregation within breeding pairs or individual consistency in the seasonal foraging niche of both species. The results suggest that inter-specific foraging niche segregation is likely a more important factor influencing the trophic ecology and foraging behaviours of these species, relative to intra-specific factors. Even so, the persistence of inter-specific foraging niche segregation outside the breeding season suggests that either the potential for competition for food resource or foraging habitats remain high during this time or that the ultimate factors responsible for foraging niche segregation among these two species may be unrelated to these proximate factors.Fil: Rosciano, Natalia Gimena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Polito, Michael J. Lousiana State University; Estados UnidosFil: Raya Rey, Andrea Nélida. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur. Instituto de Ciencias Polares, Ambientales y Recursos Naturales; Argentin

    Experimental investigation of the origin of fynbos plant community structure after fire

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    Background and aims Species in plant communities segregate along fine-scale hydrological gradients. Although this phenomenon is not unique to fynbos, this community regenerates after fire and therefore provides an opportunity to study the ecological genesis of hydrological niche segregation. Methods Following wildfires at two field sites where we had previously mapped the vegetation and monitored the hydrology, seeds were moved experimentally in >2500 intact soil cores up and down soil-moisture gradients to test the hypothesis that hydrological niche segregation is established during the seedling phase of the life cycle. Seedling numbers and growth were then monitored and they were identified using DNA bar-coding, the first use of this technology for an experiment of this kind. Key Results At the site where niche segregation among Restionaceae had previously been found, the size of seedlings was significantly greater, the wetter the location into which they were moved, regardless of the soil moisture status of their location of origin, or of the species. Seedling weight was also significantly greater in a competition treatment where the roots of other species were excluded. No such effects were detected at the control site where niche segregation among Restionaceae was previously found to be absent. Conclusions The finding that seedling growth on hydrological gradients in the field is affected by soil moisture status and by root competition shows that hydrological niche segregation could potentially originate in the seedling stage. The methodology, applied at a larger scale and followed-through for a longer period, could be used to determine whether species are differently affected by soil moistur

    Genomic basis of ecological niche divergence among cryptic sister species of non-biting midges

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    Background: There is a lack of understanding the evolutionary forces driving niche segregation of closely related organisms. In addition, pinpointing the genes driving ecological divergence is a key goal in molecular ecology. Here, larval transcriptome sequences obtained by next-generation-sequencing are used to address these issues in a morphologically cryptic sister species pair of non-biting midges (Chironomus riparius and C. piger). Results: More than eight thousand orthologous open reading frames were screened for interspecific divergence and intraspecific polymorphisms. Despite a small mean sequence divergence of 1.53% between the sister species, 25.1% of 18,115 observed amino acid substitutions were inferred by α statistics to be driven by positive selection. Applying McDonald-Kreitman tests to 715 alignments of gene orthologues identified eleven (1.5%) genes driven by positive selection. Conclusions: Three candidate genes were identified as potentially responsible for the observed niche segregation concerning nitrite concentration, habitat temperature and water conductivity. Additionally, signs of positive selection in the hydrogen sulfide detoxification pathway were detected, providing a new plausible hypothesis for the species’ ecological differentiation. Finally, a divergently selected, nuclear encoded mitochondrial ribosomal protein may contribute to reproductive isolation due to cytonuclear coevolution

    Segregasi Niche antara Oreochromis mossambicus dan Oreochromis niloticus Di Sungai Banjaran, Kabupaten Banyumas

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    Alien fish are introduced to diversify farmed fish, ornamental fish, or disease vector controllers. Alien fish in aquatic generally becomes a threat for indegenous fish as competitors for food, space and as predators. This will affect fish structure populations and results in niche segregation (space utilization) to avoid competition. Niche segregation encourages certain fish to occupy niches spatial and temporal diferently. Niche segregation may also occur between O. mossambicus and O. niloticus in the Banjaran River. This research was done by using a survey method with the Purposive Random Sampling technique. Sampling was conducted at five selected stations along Banjaran River every two weeks from July until September 2018. Research variables were O. mossambicus and O. niloticus populations with parameters abundance, length and weight of fish  The supporting variable was water quality with the physical parameters were temperature, brightness, and current and the chemical parameter were dissolved oxygen (DO) content, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and also potential hydrogen (pH). Data on fish population structure and niche segregation were analyzed descriptively. Correlation between physical-chemical aquatic factors and  fish abundances were analyzed using PCA (Principal Component Analysis). The result showed that the O. mossambicus population was more than O. niloticus. The abundance of O. mossambicus in the five stations were different (p: 0.005), while the abundance of O. niloticus were relatively the similar (p: 0.184). There were differences in length distribution of O. mossambicus (p: 6.934E-09) and O. niloticus (6.174E-05) at five stations. The weight distribution of O. mossambicus at five stations was significantly different (p: 3.609E-09), and the weight distribution of O. niloticus (p: 6.631E-05) was also different. The temporal niche segregation  between O. mossambicus and O. niloticus was recorded in stasiun 5. The abundances of O. mossambicus and O. niloticus were negatively correlated to the physical and chemical factors of  the water quality of Banjaran Rive

    Nearest Neighbor Methods for Testing Reflexivity and Species-Correspondence

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    Nearest neighbor (NN) methods are employed for drawing inferences about spatial patterns of points from two or more classes. We consider Pielou's test of niche specificity which is defined using a contingency table based on the NN relationships between the data points. We demonstrate that Pielou's contingency table for niche specificity is actually more appropriate for testing reflexivity in NN structure, hence we call this table as NN reflexivity contingency table (NN-RCT) henceforth. We also derive an asymptotic approximation for the distribution of the entries of the NN-RCT and consider variants of Fisher's exact test on it. Moreover, we introduce a new test of class- or species-correspondence inspired by spatial niche/habitat specificity and the associated contingency table called species-correspondence contingency table (SCCT). We also determine the appropriate null hypotheses and the underlying conditions appropriate for these tests. We investigate the finite sample performance of the tests in terms of empirical size and power by extensive Monte Carlo simulations and the methods are illustrated on a real-life ecological data set.Comment: 23 pages, 1 figur

    Stem cell decisions:A twist of fate or a niche market?

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    AbstractEstablishing and maintaining cell fate in the right place at the right time is a key requirement for normal tissue maintenance. Stem cells are at the core of this process. Understanding how stem cells balance self-renewal and production of differentiating cells is key for understanding the defects that underpin many diseases. Both, external cues from the environment and cell intrinsic mechanisms can control the outcome of stem cell division. The role of the orientation of stem cell division has emerged as an important mechanism for specifying cell fate decisions. Although, the alignment of cell divisions can dependent on spatial cues from the environment, maintaining stemness is not always linked to positioning of stem cells in a particular microenvironment or `niche'. Alternate mechanisms that could contribute to cellular memory include differential segregation of centrosomes in asymmetrically dividing cells
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