Trophic niche differentiation and microhabitat utilization revealed by stable isotope analyses in a dry-forest bat assemblage at Ankarana, northern Madagascar

Fuente: Zenodo
Gespeichert in:
Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser: Dammhahn, Melanie, Goodman, Steven M.
Format: Recurso digital
Veröffentlicht: Zenodo 2014
Schlagworte:
Online-Zugang:
Tags: Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
_version_ 1866901304026071040
author Dammhahn, Melanie
Goodman, Steven M.
author_facet Dammhahn, Melanie
Goodman, Steven M.
contents (Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Bats are important components in tropical mammal assemblages. Unravelling the mechanisms allowing multiple syntopic bat species to coexist can provide insights into community ecology. However, dietary information on component species of these assemblages is often difficult to obtain. Here we measured stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in hair samples clipped from the backs of 94 specimens to indirectly examine whether trophic niche differentiation and microhabitat segregation explain the coexistence of 16 bat species at Ankarana, northern Madagascar. The assemblage ranged over 4.4‰ in δ15N and was structured into two trophic levels with phytophagous Pteropodidae as primary consumers (c. 3‰ enriched over plants) and different insectivorous bats as secondary consumers (c. 4‰ enriched over primary consumers). Bat species utilizing different microhabitats formed distinct isotopic clusters (metric analyses of δ13C–δ15N bi-plots), but taxa foraging in the same microhabitat did not show more pronounced trophic differentiation than those occupying different microhabitats. As revealed by multivariate analyses, no discernible feeding competition was found in the local assemblage amongst congeneric species as compared with non-congeners. In contrast to ecological niche theory, but in accordance with studies on New and Old World bat assemblages, competitive interactions appear to be relaxed at Ankarana and not a prevailing structuring force.
format Recurso digital
id zenodo_https___doi_org_10_5281_zenodo_13477490
institution Zenodo
language
publishDate 2014
publisher Zenodo
record_format zenodo
spellingShingle Trophic niche differentiation and microhabitat utilization revealed by stable isotope analyses in a dry-forest bat assemblage at Ankarana, northern Madagascar
Dammhahn, Melanie
Goodman, Steven M.
Biodiversity
Mammalia
Chiroptera
Chordata
Animalia
bats
bat
(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Bats are important components in tropical mammal assemblages. Unravelling the mechanisms allowing multiple syntopic bat species to coexist can provide insights into community ecology. However, dietary information on component species of these assemblages is often difficult to obtain. Here we measured stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in hair samples clipped from the backs of 94 specimens to indirectly examine whether trophic niche differentiation and microhabitat segregation explain the coexistence of 16 bat species at Ankarana, northern Madagascar. The assemblage ranged over 4.4‰ in δ15N and was structured into two trophic levels with phytophagous Pteropodidae as primary consumers (c. 3‰ enriched over plants) and different insectivorous bats as secondary consumers (c. 4‰ enriched over primary consumers). Bat species utilizing different microhabitats formed distinct isotopic clusters (metric analyses of δ13C–δ15N bi-plots), but taxa foraging in the same microhabitat did not show more pronounced trophic differentiation than those occupying different microhabitats. As revealed by multivariate analyses, no discernible feeding competition was found in the local assemblage amongst congeneric species as compared with non-congeners. In contrast to ecological niche theory, but in accordance with studies on New and Old World bat assemblages, competitive interactions appear to be relaxed at Ankarana and not a prevailing structuring force.
title Trophic niche differentiation and microhabitat utilization revealed by stable isotope analyses in a dry-forest bat assemblage at Ankarana, northern Madagascar
topic Biodiversity
Mammalia
Chiroptera
Chordata
Animalia
bats
bat
url https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13477490