Smaller islands, bigger appetites: evolutionary strategies of insular endemic skinks DOI Creative Commons
Catarina J. Pinho, Herculano Dinis, Brent C. Emerson

et al.

Royal Society Open Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 11(10)

Published: Oct. 1, 2024

Competitive dietary and morphological divergence among co-occurring species are fundamental aspects of ecological communities, particularly on islands. Cabo Verde (~570 km west continental Africa) hosts several endemic reptiles descended from common ancestors, with sympatric exhibiting wide variation competing for limited resources. To explore the mechanisms resource partitioning between coexisting species, DNA metabarcoding was used to compare diets large small skinks, Chioninia vaillantii delalandii , in allopatric contexts Fogo Island a more competitive context resource-poor Cima Islet. The all populations also examined test character displacement hypothesis effect different scenarios. Results showed significant differences diet linear measurements populations. two C. similar changes head morphology compared population, supporting displacement. higher pressure evidenced by increased observed. This study demonstrates how sister develop adaptations/morphologies maintain stable coexistence, especially highly scenarios, providing useful insights effective conservation strategies.

Language: Английский

Table for two: diet composition differences of allopatric and sympatric populations of island geckos DOI Creative Commons
Catarina J. Pinho, Bárbara Santos, Vanessa A. Mata

et al.

Global Ecology and Conservation, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. e03412 - e03412

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Metabarcoding clarifies the diet of the elusive and vulnerable Australian tjakura (Great Desert Skink, Liopholis kintorei) DOI Creative Commons
David Thuo, Nicholas A. Macgregor, Samuel D. Merson

et al.

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 12

Published: March 26, 2024

Introduction Accurately quantifying the diet of species has implications for our understanding their ecology and conservation. Yet, determining dietary composition threatened elusive in wild is often difficult. Methods This study presents first assessment tjakura ( Liopholis kintorei ) using non-invasive sampling scats high-throughput sequencing techniques. Results The Uluru consumed 48 invertebrates, 27 plants, two vertebrate taxa. Fruit flies Leucophenga spp.), beetles Harpalus spp. Omorgus mosquitos Culicidae termites Termitidae spiked mallow Malvastrum americanum ), bush tomatoes Solanum centrale turnip Brassica tournefortii comprised majority diet. Analysis similarity revealed that food items did not differ significantly between age groups, seasons, or time since last fire, however, adults, hot season, fire scar 2018 showed a relatively higher prey diversity. Discussion These high similarities classes scars indicate potential intraspecific competition when resources are scarce. diversity plasticity observed this reflect influenced by availability rather than preference. Our demonstrates scat DNA metabarcoding an important complementary tool to conventional analysis indigenous knowledge as most we identified were previously recorded through those methods.

Language: Английский

Citations

2
Dietary niche partitioning of three Sky Island Sceloporus lizards as revealed through DNA metabarcoding DOI Creative Commons
Erin P. Westeen, José G. Martínez‐Fonseca, Christian A. d’Orgeix

et al.

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 13(9)

Published: Sept. 1, 2023

Lizard diets are highly diverse and have contributed to the diversification, biogeographical distributions, evolution of novel traits across this global radiation. Many parts a lizard's ecology-including habitat preferences, foraging modes, predation risks, interspecific competition, thermal constraints, among others-interact shape diets, dietary niche partitioning simultaneously contributes co-occurrence within communities. We used DNA metabarcoding fecal samples identify prey items in three sympatric

Language: Английский

Citations

4
Smaller islands, bigger appetites: evolutionary strategies of insular endemic skinks DOI Creative Commons
Catarina J. Pinho, Herculano Dinis, Brent C. Emerson

et al.

Royal Society Open Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 11(10)

Published: Oct. 1, 2024

Competitive dietary and morphological divergence among co-occurring species are fundamental aspects of ecological communities, particularly on islands. Cabo Verde (~570 km west continental Africa) hosts several endemic reptiles descended from common ancestors, with sympatric exhibiting wide variation competing for limited resources. To explore the mechanisms resource partitioning between coexisting species, DNA metabarcoding was used to compare diets large small skinks, Chioninia vaillantii delalandii , in allopatric contexts Fogo Island a more competitive context resource-poor Cima Islet. The all populations also examined test character displacement hypothesis effect different scenarios. Results showed significant differences diet linear measurements populations. two C. similar changes head morphology compared population, supporting displacement. higher pressure evidenced by increased observed. This study demonstrates how sister develop adaptations/morphologies maintain stable coexistence, especially highly scenarios, providing useful insights effective conservation strategies.

Language: Английский

Citations

0