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Lookup NU author(s): Christina Skinner, Professor Aileen MillORCiD, Dr Steven Newman, Dr Matthew CobainORCiD, Professor Nick Polunin
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2019 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Sympatric species may partition resources to reduce competition and facilitate co-existence. While spatial variation and specialization in feeding strategies may be prevalent among large marine predators, studies have focussed on sharks, birds, and marine mammals. We consider for the first time the isotopic niche partitioning of co-occurring, teleost reef predators spanning multiple families. Using a novel tri-isotope ellipsoid approach, we investigate the feeding strategies of seven of these species across an atoll seascape in the Maldives. We demonstrate substantial spatial variation in resource use of all predator populations. Furthermore, within each area, there was evidence of intraspecific variation in feeding behaviors that could not wholly be attributed to individual body size. Assessing species at the population level will mask these intraspecific differences in resource use. Knowledge of resource use is important for predicting how species will respond to environmental change and spatial variation should be considered when investigating trophic diversity.
Author(s): Skinner C, Mill AC, Newman SP, Newton J, Cobain MRD, Polunin NVC
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Ecology and Evolution
Year: 2019
Volume: 9
Issue: 23
Pages: 13267-13277
Print publication date: 01/12/2019
Online publication date: 04/11/2019
Acceptance date: 04/10/2019
Date deposited: 21/11/2019
ISSN (electronic): 2045-7758
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd
URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5779
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5779
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