Spatial Heterogeneity in Ecology

This project predominantly investigated the implications of spatial heterogeneity in the ecological processes of competition and infection. Empirical analysis of spatial heterogeneity was carried out using the lepidopteran species Plodia interpunctella. Using differently viscous food media, it was possible to alter the movement rate of larvae. Soft Foods allow the movement rate of larvae to be high, so that individuals can disperse through the environment and avoid physical encounters with conspecifics. Harder foods lower the movement rate of larvae, restricting the ability of individuals to disperse away from birth sites and avoid conspecifics encounters. Increasing food viscosity and lowering movement rate therefore has the effect of making uniform distributed larval populations more aggregated and patchy. Different spatial structures changed the nature of intraspecific competition, with patchy populations characterised by individuals experiencing lower growth rates and greater mortality because of the reduced food and space available within densely packed aggregations. At the population scale, the increased competition for food individuals experience in aggregations emerges as longer generational cycles and reduced population densities. Aggregating individuals also altered the outcome of interspecific competition between Plodia and Ephestia cautella. In food media that allowed high movement rates, Plodia had a greater survival rate than Ephestia because the larger movement rate of Plodia allowed it to more effectively avoid intraspecific competition. Also the faster growth rate, and so larger size, of Plodia allowed it to dominate interspecific encounters by either predating or interfering with the feeding of Ephestia. In food that restricts movement, the resulting aggregations cause Plodia to experience more intraspecific encounters relative to interspecific, reducing its competitive advantage and levelling the survival of the two species. Spatial structure also affected the dynamics of a Plodia-granulosis virus interaction and the evolution of virus infectivity. Larval aggregation forced transmission to become limited to within host patches, making the overall prevalence of the virus low. However potentially high rates of cannibalism and multiple infections within overcrowded host aggregations caused virus-induced mortality to be high, as indicated by the low host population density when virus is presented. Also aggregated host populations cause the evolution of lower virus infectivity, where less infective virus strains maintain more susceptible hosts within the aggregation and so possess a greater transmission rate. The pattern of variation in resistance of Plodia interpunctella towards its granulosis virus was found using two forms of graphical analysis. There was a bimodal pattern of variation, with most individuals exhibiting either low or high levels of resistance. This pattern was related to a resistance mechanism that is decreasingly costly to host fitness

Biotic And Abiotic Factors Influencing Headwater Stream Organisms In The Southern Appalachians

The roles of biotic and abiotic factors in ecological and evolutionary phenomena are well-understood, however, few investigations have focused on these interactions involving morphologically dissimilar taxa. My research aimed to determine whether interactions were strong among morphologically dissimilar species with widely overlapping assemblages in southern Appalachian streams and if environmental conditions influenced the strength of these interactions. First, I conducted field surveys across headwater streams to estimate the occupancy probabilities and body condition of salamanders in response to the presence of morphologically dissimilar taxa and habitat variables. Second, I used in situ and ex situ methods to identify the potential abiotic and biotic factors that influence the spatial patterns associated with body condition and refuge use for stream salamanders and crayfish. My experiment aimed to determine if body condition, refuge use, cohabitation, and survival are influenced by refuge density and the presence of interspecifics. Field surveys involved examining the influence of habitat characteristics on interspecific cohabitation between salamanders and crayfish. Overall, conclusions from my thesis imply that stream salamanders and crayfish may simply coexist. Additionally, fish occurrence is likely influenced by slope and their presence can negatively affect the body condition of salamanders, thereby potentially driving salamander assemblages and distributions

THE ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF HABITAT AND MICROHABITAT USE IN LIZARDS:: A REVIEW

We review the ecological consequences of habitat and microhabitat use in lizards. Different habitats have different biotic and abiotic properties and thus are likely to have different consequences for the lizards that occur in them. Individual performance and life histories are influenced by habitat use, particularly when habitats differ in thermal characteristics that may influence physiological processes or constrain activity. We know relatively little about how the effects of habitat use on individual performance translate into population dynamics. We do know that the ability of lizards to use particular habitats can influence the persistence of populations in the face of habitat changes. Community-level processes (e.g., competition) and community structure (e.g., diversity) can be influenced by habitat use in lizards, often by habitat use facilitating co-existence of two or more potentially competing species. We know relatively little about how other community processes, such as predation and parasitism, are influenced by habitat use

Life and death in wolverines

Developing trustworthy conservation planning for endangered species requires a deep understanding of the variations of their populations in both space and time. I used individual-based long-term location and demographic data on wolverines (Gulo gulo) in Northern Sweden, and data on reproductions from the national monitoring systems of Norway and Sweden, to analyze how wolverine demography in Scandinavia is affected by variation in habitat and management policies. Wolverines showed agerelated patterns of reproduction and reproductive costs, which were influenced by seasonal resources. The top predator Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) increase scavenging opportunities on reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) carrion, and wolverines and lynx selected for the same habitats when sharing prey base and sources of adult mortality. Illegal killing was a main source of adult mortality in brown bears (Ursus arctos), lynx and wolverines in northern Sweden, and the risk of being illegally killed was in general higher in national parks and on reindeer calving grounds, and lower in forest and steep terrain. At population level, the reproductive range of wolverines was set by latitude and elevation; presence of reindeer and lynx, rugged terrain and higher primary production had a positive effect; whereas human dominated habitats negatively influenced the frequency of reproductions. Different management policies influenced the frequency of wolverine reproductions; in Sweden this was 2 times higher than in Norway. Finally, I show that in Sweden, adult female wolverines were illegally killed at lower rates than males. Thus, the Swedish carnivore conservation payment system, which pays for wolverine reproductions, protects the demographic segment that is most important for population growth. Carnivores impose negative impact on rural economies and herding cultures in Scandinavia, and there will be need for continued monitoring combined with economic incentives to ensure carnivore-human coexistence. The approach of linking life histories to habitat has the potential for in-depth studies of mechanisms shaping spatial and temporal variation in populations, and should be implemented in future adaptive management for species persistence

California Horn Snail exhibit a bimodal size distribution and size-associated dispersal patterns

The California Horn Snail (Cerithideopsis californica) is an important primary intermediate host in the life cycle of a variety of parasitic species that have extensive effects on ecological food webs. As such, parasite load in the California Horn Snail can serve as an important tool in assessing the effectiveness of restoration projects. The goal of the study was to investigate the population dynamics of the California Horn Snail in Ballona Wetlands, California, the only major coastal salt marsh in Los Angeles County. This study evaluated the spatial dispersion, size distribution, and density of C. californica collected from the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Preserve. The results showed that the population of C. californica in the preserve exhibited a bimodal distribution of size, with the large and small cohorts exhibiting significantly different patterns of dispersion. The study suggests that both bimodal size distribution and size-associated behavior of C. californica may be important for understanding this ecologically important snail

Risk-driven behaviour in the African leopard:how is leopard behaviour mediated by lion presence?

Agricultural expansion is restricting many carnivore species to smaller tracts of land, potentially forcing increased levels of overlap between competitors by constraining spatial partitioning. Understanding encounters between competitors is important because competition can influence species densities, distributions, and reproductive success. Despite this, little is known of the mechanisms that mediate coexistence between the African leopard (Panthera pardus) and its competitors. This project used GPS radiocollar data and playback experiments to understand risk-driven changes in the leopard’s behaviour and movement during actual and perceived encounters with lions (Panthera leo). Targeted playbacks of lion roars were used to elucidate immediate and short-lived behavioural responses in leopards when lions were perceived to be within the immediate area. To investigate the post-encounter spatial dynamics of leopard movements, the project used datasets from high-resolution GPS radiocollars deployed on leopards and lions with overlapping territories in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Leopards were found to adapt behaviours and movements when lions were perceived to be nearby. Specifically, roar playbacks elicited longer periods of vigilance than controls, and movement directions were influenced by speaker locations. Further, leopard movements were quicker and more directional after encountering lions. However, adjustments in behaviour and movement were short-lived. The results provide insights into mechanisms used by the leopard to coexist with its competitors and are a useful case study of the methods that could be used to investigate encounter dynamics within other systems

Mathematical models assessing the importance of disease on ecological invasions

A general understanding of the role that both shared disease and competition may play in ecological invasions is lacking. We develop a theoretical framework to determine the role of disease, in addition to competition, in invasions. We first investigate the e ect of disease characteristics on the replacement time of a native species by an invader. The outcome is critically dependent on the relative e ects that the disease has on the two species and less dependent on the basic epidemiological characteristics of the interaction. This framework is extended to investigate the e ect of disease on the spatial spread of an invader and indicates that a wave of disease spreads through a native population in advance of the replacement. A probabilistic simulation model is developed to examine the particular example of the replacement of red squirrels by grey squirrels in the United Kingdom. This model is used to examine conservation strategies employed within red squirrel refuges and compared to observations from Sefton Coast Red Squirrel Refuge. Our findings indicate that culling greys may be e ective at protecting red populations from replacement, but none of the conservation strategies currently employed can prevent periodic outbreaks of infection within red squirrel refuges.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC

Spatial heterogeneity in ecology

This project predominantly investigated the implications of spatial heterogeneity in the ecological processes of competition and infection. Empirical analysis of spatial heterogeneity was carried out using the lepidopteran species Plodia interpunctella. Using differently viscous food media, it was possible to alter the movement rate of larvae. Soft Foods allow the movement rate of larvae to be high, so that individuals can disperse through the environment and avoid physical encounters with conspecifics. Harder foods lower the movement rate of larvae, restricting the ability of individuals to disperse away from birth sites and avoid conspecifics encounters. Increasing food viscosity and lowering movement rate therefore has the effect of making uniform distributed larval populations more aggregated and patchy. Different spatial structures changed the nature of intraspecific competition, with patchy populations characterised by individuals experiencing lower growth rates and greater mortality because of the reduced food and space available within densely packed aggregations. At the population scale, the increased competition for food individuals experience in aggregations emerges as longer generational cycles and reduced population densities. Aggregating individuals also altered the outcome of interspecific competition between Plodia and Ephestia cautella. In food media that allowed high movement rates, Plodia had a greater survival rate than Ephestia because the larger movement rate of Plodia allowed it to more effectively avoid intraspecific competition. Also the faster growth rate, and so larger size, of Plodia allowed it to dominate interspecific encounters by either predating or interfering with the feeding of Ephestia. In food that restricts movement, the resulting aggregations cause Plodia to experience more intraspecific encounters relative to interspecific, reducing its competitive advantage and levelling the survival of the two species. Spatial structure also affected the dynamics of a Plodia-granulosis virus interaction and the evolution of virus infectivity. Larval aggregation forced transmission to become limited to within host patches, making the overall prevalence of the virus low. However potentially high rates of cannibalism and multiple infections within overcrowded host aggregations caused virus-induced mortality to be high, as indicated by the low host population density when virus is presented. Also aggregated host populations cause the evolution of lower virus infectivity, where less infective virus strains maintain more susceptible hosts within the aggregation and so possess a greater transmission rate. The pattern of variation in resistance of Plodia interpunctella towards its granulosis virus was found using two forms of graphical analysis. There was a bimodal pattern of variation, with most individuals exhibiting either low or high levels of resistance. This pattern was related to a resistance mechanism that is decreasingly costly to host fitness.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The dynamics of a tephritid seed predator on Tripolium vulgare in a stochastic and heterogeneous environment

In this thesis the factors regulating the interaction between the seed predatory fly Paroxyna plantaginis (Diptera: Tephritidae) and its host plant Tripolium vulgare, (former Aster tripolium, Asteraceae) are determined and evaluated. The host is patchily distributed on islands in the study area (the archipelago of Skeppsvik 63°44-48' N, 20°34-40'E) in northern Sweden. Possible factors that may cause the persistence of this system include direct density-dependent feedback processes, temporal and spatial heterogeneity, and the effect of stochasticity (chance). The impact of these forces is analysed through both pattern and process approaches, concentrating on the spatial and temporal distribution of the resource and the timing and dispersal of the fly, as well as the influence of stochasticity. Relating attack frequencies to host density showed no strong indication of tight regulation between the specialist seed predator and its host plant (Paper I). Smaller plants and subpopulations were subject to the highest variation in attack frequency, suggesting that there is a strong element of chance influencing the risk of attack. There were, however, indications of a spatial effect at low fly densities, which seemed to break down at higher densities, implying that dispersal behaviour and strength may be related to adult fly density. The fragmented resource is more evenly used at higher attack frequencies (Paper II) : an effect which may be coupled directely to fly densities (Paper III). A mismatch between the phenology of the fly and the sea aster flowering phenology seems to benefit the first flowering flower heads, which are less often attacked in a normal year (Paper III) . However, it was experimentally shown that the flies compensate for the temporal and spatial unpredictability by a female-biased density-dependent dispersal (Paper IV). Density-independent water-borne dispersal during the puparia stage may also affect the dynamics of the tephritid (Paper V). This system is an example of a highly persistent interaction, for which stochastic and spatial effects are of major importance. The density-dependent dispersal of females may act within generations in the spatially heterogeneous environment and this may be transformed from a local response to a mode of regulation that works between generations

Linking Scales in Stream Ecology

The hierarchical structure of natural systems can be useful in designing ecological studies that are informative at multiple spatial scales. Although stream systems have long been recognized as having a hierarchical spatial structure, there is a need for more empirical research that exploits this structure to generate an understanding of population biology, community ecology, and species-ecosystem linkages across spatial scales. We review studies that link pattern and process across multiple scales of stream-habitat organization, highlighting the insight derived from this multiscale approach and the role that mechanistic hypotheses play in its successful application. We also describe afrontier in stream research that relies on this multiscale approach: assessing the consequences and mechanisms of ecological processes occurring at the network scale. Broader use of this approach will advance many goals in applied stream ecology, including the design of reserves to protect stream biodiversity and the conservation of freshwater resources and services