Trophic niche partitioning of cryptic species of long-eared bats in Switzerland: implications for conservation
Trophic niche partitioning of cryptic species of long-eared bats in Switzerland: implications for conservation
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DOI：
10.1007/s10344-011-0496-z
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发表时间：
2011-08-01
影响因子：
2
通讯作者：
Bontadina, Fabio
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Ashrafi, Sohrab;Beck, Andres;Bontadina, Fabio
食物生态位划分被认为对群落内物种的稳定共存起着重要作用，特别是在隐蔽的物种之间。分子标记最近揭示了欧洲阿尔卑斯山上存在一种新的神秘的长耳蝙蝠物种--巨型侧耳蝙蝠。我们研究了发生在瑞士的三个Plecotus物种的八个群体的营养生态位以及食物的季节和区域变化。每月收集觅食后返回栖息地的个体的粪便。从粪便中识别出21个节肢动物种类。3种食性均以鳞翅目昆虫为主，分别占食性组成的41%、87%和88%(跨群平均)。在白纹伊蚊的食物中(但在另外两个物种的食物中很少出现)，出现了大量的昼夜昆虫和不会飞的昆虫碎片，这表明该物种主要从底物中采集猎物。澳洲拟青蛙和大泡拟青蟹是比较典型的食性昆虫。后两个物种的营养生态位较窄，而食性较宽的食性较广。种内和种间生态位重叠的比较表明，这两个物种之间存在食物生态位分配。相反，与典型的毗邻分布相关的奥斯特拉克斯和巨泡巴氏原虫的营养生态位高度相似，表明竞争排斥。最好的保护措施是保护和恢复提供大量飞蛾的栖息地，飞蛾是这三个Plecotus物种的主要猎物。
Dietary niche partitioning is postulated to play a major role for the stable coexistence of species within a community, particularly among cryptic species. Molecular markers have recently revealed the existence of a new cryptic species of long-eared bat, Plecotus macrobullaris, in the European Alps. We studied trophic niches as well as seasonal and regional variations of diet in eight colonies of the three Plecotus species occurring in Switzerland. Faeces were collected monthly from individuals returning to roost after foraging. Twenty-one arthropod categories were recognized from the faeces. All three species fed predominantly on Lepidoptera, which made up 41%, 87% and 88% (means across colonies) of the diet composition of P. auritus, P. macrobullaris and P. austriacus, respectively. The occurrence of numerous fragments of both diurnal and flightless insects in the diet of P. auritus (but rarely in the diet of the other two species) indicates that this species mostly gleans prey from substrates. P. austriacus and P. macrobullaris are more typical aerial feeders. The latter two species have narrow trophic niches, whilst P. auritus has a much broader diet. Comparison of intraspecific and interspecific niche overlaps in P. auritus and P. macrobullaris in sympatry suggests dietary niche partitioning between these two species. In contrast, the high similarity of the trophic niches of P. austriacus and P. macrobullaris, associated with a typical parapatric distribution, indicates competitive exclusion. The best conservation measures are preservation and restoration of habitats offering a high abundance of moths, the major prey of the three Plecotus species.