Niche

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Life Sciences

Kinds of Niche

  • cell niche
  • climatic niche
  • different ecological niche
  • different niche
  • ecological niche
  • environmental niche
  • feeding niche
  • hematopoietic niche
  • intracellular niche
  • market niche
  • neurogenic niche
  • new niche
  • realized niche
  • regeneration niche
  • species niche
  • specific niche
  • stem cell niche
  • trophic niche

  • Terms modified by Niche

  • niche breadth
  • niche concept
  • niche conservatism
  • niche construction
  • niche differentiation
  • niche dimension
  • niche divergence
  • niche dynamics
  • niche evolution
  • niche market
  • niche modeling
  • niche modelling
  • niche models
  • niche partitioning
  • niche separation
  • niche shift
  • niche space
  • niche specialization
  • niche theory
  • niche width

  • Selected Abstracts


    On the relationship between niche and distribution

    ECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 4 2000
    H.R. Pulliam
    Applications of Hutchinson's n -dimensional niche concept are often focused on the role of interspecific competition in shaping species distribution patterns. In this paper, I discuss a variety of factors, in addition to competition, that influence the observed relationship between species distribution and the availability of suitable habitat. In particular, I show that Hutchinson's niche concept can be modified to incorporate the influences of niche width, habitat availability and dispersal, as well as interspecific competition per se. I introduce a simulation model called NICHE that embodies many of Hutchinson's original niche concepts and use this model to predict patterns of species distribution. The model may help to clarify how dispersal, niche size and competition interact, and under what conditions species might be common in unsuitable habitat or absent from suitable habitat. A brief review of the pertinent literature suggests that species are often absent from suitable habitat and present in unsuitable habitat, in ways predicted by theory. However, most tests of niche theory are hampered by inadequate consideration of what does and does not constitute suitable habitat. More conclusive evidence for these predictions will require rigorous determination of habitat suitability under field conditions. I suggest that to do this, ecologists must measure habitat specific demography and quantify how demographic parameters vary in response to temporal and spatial variation in measurable niche dimensions. [source]


    CONVERGENCE AND THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL NICHE

    EVOLUTION, Issue 2 2005
    Luke J. Harmon
    Abstract Convergent evolution has played an important role in the development of the ecological niche concept. We investigated patterns of convergent and divergent evolution of Caribbean Anolis lizards. These lizards diversified independently on each of the islands of the Greater Antilles, producing the same set of habitat specialists on each island. Using a phylogenetic comparative framework, we examined patterns of morphological convergence in five functionally distinct sets of morphological characters: body size, body shape, head shape, lamella number, and sexual size dimorphism. We find evidence for convergence among members of the habitat specialist types for each of these five datasets. Furthermore, the patterns of convergence differ among at least four of the five datasets; habitat specialists that are similar for one set of characters are often greatly different for another. This suggests that the habitat specialist niches into which these anoles have evolved are multidimensional, involving several distinct and independent aspects of morphology. [source]


    Niche overlap between marsupial and eutherian carnivores: does competition threaten the endangered spotted-tailed quoll?

    JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2008
    A. S. Glen
    Summary 1The significance of top-down regulation by carnivores is receiving increasing global recognition. As a consequence, key objectives in many programmes that seek to maintain ecosystem function now include conserving carnivores and understanding their interactions. This study examined overlap in resource use (space and diet) of introduced eutherian carnivores and an endangered marsupial carnivore, the spotted-tailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus, in eastern Australia. We also investigated mechanisms of niche partitioning and evidence for interspecific aggression. 2Dietary overlap between quolls, red foxes Vulpes vulpes and wild dogs Canis lupus ssp. was assessed by analysis of scats. Trapping, radio-tracking and direct observations were used to quantify spatial overlap between quolls, foxes, wild dogs and feral cats Felis catus. 3Dietary overlap among the carnivores was extensive. Medium-sized mammals were the most important prey for all three predators, indicating potential for exploitative interactions. However, hunting of different size classes of secondary prey and consumption by quolls of more arboreal prey than their counterparts may assist coexistence. Remains of quoll were found in two dog scats, and cat hair in another, possibly indicating intraguild predation. 4We observed extensive spatial overlap between quolls and eutherian carnivores. However, we inferred from dietary data that quolls foraged primarily in forested habitat, while canids foraged mainly in cleared habitat. 5Synthesis and applications. Our results indicate strong potential for competition between spotted-tailed quolls and eutherian carnivores, and thus a situation where control of introduced predators may be desirable, not only for the conservation of prey species but also for the protection of native carnivores. Concern over potential non-target mortality of quolls has hindered efforts to control foxes in eastern Australia using poison baits. We contend that, rather than harming quoll populations, baiting for foxes should aid the conservation of quolls and should be implemented in areas of sympatry where fox numbers are high. [source]


    Diet of free-ranging cats and dogs in a suburban and rural environment, south-eastern Brazil

    JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, Issue 1 2007
    C. B. Campos
    Abstract In spite of the worldwide occurrence of domestic cats and dogs, and their close relationship with humans, the number of published papers on free-ranging cats Felis catus and dogs Canis familiaris, is small. The diet of both species was estimated in a suburban and rural environment in July 2002 and January 2003. Visual observations and scat collection of both species were accomplished along a 10 km transect line in the Campus ,Luiz de Queiroz', University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, south-eastern Brazil. The diet of both species was determined by analysis of sterilized, washed, dried and sorted scats. Estimated abundances of free-ranging cats and dogs in the sampled area were 81 (±4.32) and 42 (±2.96), respectively. Cats and dogs were more abundant in the suburban than in the rural environment (t=3.78, P<0.001, N=55; t=8.38, P<0.001, N=55, respectively) and cats were more abundant than dogs in the suburban environment (t=6.76, P<0.001, N=55), even though there was no significant difference between the abundance of both species in the rural environment (t=0.82, P=0.46, N=55). Invertebrates were the most commonly consumed item by both species, followed by mammals (cats: 63.24 and 20.51%; dogs: 57.05 and 25.15%, respectively). Niche breadth was 0.4892 for cats and 0.4463 for dogs. Niche overlap was almost complete (0.97108). The consumption of mammals was estimated to be between 16.76 and 25.42 kg individual,1year,1 for dogs and between 2.01 and 2.9 kg individual,1year,1 for cats. These data might be useful to establish a management program to minimize the predation pressure of free-ranging cats and dogs on wildlife. [source]


    AWHONN Launches Consumer Magazine: Health For Women Fills a Unique Niche for Nurses and Their Patients

    NURSING FOR WOMENS HEALTH, Issue 2 2008
    Article first published online: 29 MAR 200
    First page of article [source]


    Detecting the effects of introduced species: a case study of competition between Apis and Bombus

    OIKOS, Issue 3 2006
    Diane M. Thomson
    Developing tools for rapid assessment of introduced species impacts is one of the most important challenges in invasion ecology. Most assessments of impact rely on correlational data or other indirect measures. Yet few studies have evaluated invasion effects using multiple, simultaneously applied monitoring and experimental approaches, in order to compare easily obtained metrics with more difficult but direct measures of reproductive success or population dynamics. In this study, I use data from an experimental test of introduced honey bee (Apis mellifera) impacts on native bumble bees (Bombus spp.) to address two major questions: 1) how well did observational data on niche overlap and spatial correlations between Apis and Bombus predict the results of experimental tests of competitive effects? and 2) how well did effects of the experimental Apis manipulations on Bombus foragers, which are easy to observe, predict changes in reproductive success of colonies, which are difficult to measure? Niche overlap between Apis and Bombus varied substantially, but increased to levels as high as 80,90% during periods of resource scarcity. Correlations between numbers of Apis foragers and numbers of Bombus foragers were also highly variable, but I detected a significant negative relationship in only one of the seven months observed. In contrast, the experimental results showed that mean numbers of Bombus foragers observed on a given transect increased significantly with greater distance from introduced Apis colonies. Of these three measures (niche overlap, correlations in abundances, and effects of experimental introductions), only the experimental data on forager abundances accurately estimated competitive effects on colony reproductive success previously reported for the same experiment, and the correlational data in particular completely failed to predict the effects observed in the experimental study. This work suggests that great caution is warranted in making assessments of invasion impact on the basis of spatial or temporal correlations between invasive and native species. Thus, investing in even small and limited experimental studies may be more valuable than extensive observational work in quantifying invasion impacts. [source]


    Niches of the pre-photosynthetic biosphere and geologic preservation of Earth's earliest ecology

    GEOBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2007
    NORMAN H. SLEEP
    ABSTRACT The tree of terrestrial life probably roots in non-photosynthetic microbes. Chemoautotrophs were the first primary producers, and the globally dominant niches in terms of primary productivity were determined by availability of carbon dioxide and hydrogen for methanogenesis and sulfite reduction. Methanogen niches were most abundant where CO2 -rich ocean water flowed through serpentinite. Black smoker vents from basalt supplied comparable amount of H2. Hydrogen from arc volcanoes supported a significant methanogenic niche at the Earth's surface. SO2 from arc volcanoes reacted with organic matter and hydrogen, providing a significant surface niche. Methane ascended to the upper atmosphere where photolysis produced C-rich haze and CO, and H escaped into space. The CO and C-rich haze supported secondary surface niches. None of these ecologies were bountiful; less than 1% of the CO2 vented by ridge axes, arcs, and metamorphism became organic matter before it was buried in carbonate. In contrast, a photosynthetic biosphere leaves copious amounts of organic carbon, locally concentrated in sediments. Black shales are a classic geologic biosignature for photosynthesis that can survive subduction and high-grade metamorphism. [source]


    History of marine biodiversity

    GEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Issue 3-4 2001
    Peter M. Sheehan
    Abstract During the Phanerozoic, three steps of increasing diversity each had a unique Evolutionary Fauna (EF). During each EF, there were geologically long intervals of community stasis referred to as Ecological Evolutionary Units (EEUs). These intervals were characterized by communities composed of incumbent faunas that dominated particular habitats. Niches that were already occupied by incumbents were seldom invaded by new taxa, and the resilience of the incumbents to new competitors resulted in the long interval stasis. Most EEUs were terminated by extinction events that were caused by severe disruptions of the physical environment such as glaciations and extraterrestrial impacts. During mass extinctions many niches were vacated when incumbents were eliminated. Mass extinctions were followed by recovery intervals lasting on the order of 5 million years during which many surviving clades evolved adaptations which allowed them to move into vacated niches. New incumbents were established during these recovery intervals, and the next EEU began. In many ways, the recovery intervals resemble times when organisms invaded previously unoccupied ecospace, such as the emergence of life on land or the progressive filling of previously unoccupied habitats such as deep-burrowing and high epifaunal tiers that were colonized during the Palaeozoic. The recognition of long intervals of ecological stasis and the importance of physical disruptions in clearing incumbents is forcing revision of the traditional evolutionary viewpoint. The idea that most evolutionary change was accomplished very gradually by competition between organisms and by becoming better adapted to a relatively stable environment is being replaced by a recognition that major morphological and synecological changes tend to occur very rapidly and at times when there are few established competitors. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Four Modes of Adhesion are Used During Helicobacter pylori Binding to Human Mucins in the Oral and Gastric Niches

    HELICOBACTER, Issue 2 2008
    Sara K. Lindén
    Abstract Background:,Helicobacter pylori causes peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer, and the oral cavity is likely to serve as a reservoir for this pathogen. We investigated the binding of H. pylori to the mucins covering the mucosal surfaces in the niches along the oral to gastric infection route and during gastric disease and modeled the outcome of these interactions. Materials and Methods:, A panel of seven H. pylori strains with defined binding properties was used to identify binding to human mucins from saliva, gastric juice, cardia, corpus, and antrum of healthy stomachs and of stomachs affected by gastritis at pH 7.4 and 3.0 using a microtiter-based method. Results:,H. pylori binding to mucins differed substantially with the anatomic site, mucin type, pH, gastritis status, and H. pylori strain all having effect on binding. Mucins from saliva and gastric juice displayed the most diverse binding patterns, involving four modes of H. pylori adhesion and the MUC5B, MUC7, and MUC5AC mucins as well as the salivary agglutinin. Binding occurred via the blood-group antigen-binding adhesin (BabA), the sialic acid-binding adhesin (SabA), a charge/low pH-dependent mechanism, and a novel saliva-binding adhesin. In the healthy gastric mucus layer only BabA and acid/charge affect binding to the mucins, whereas in gastritis, the BabA/Leb -dependent binding to MUC5AC remained, and SabA and low pH binding increased. Conclusions:, The four H. pylori adhesion modes binding to mucins are likely to play different roles during colonization of the oral to gastric niches and during long-term infection. [source]


    Polymeric Aqueous Biphasic Systems for Non-Contact Cell Printing on Cells: Engineering Heterocellular Embryonic Stem Cell Niches

    ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 24 2010
    Hossein Tavana
    An optimized polymeric aqueous two-phase system allows direct and non-contact printing of cells onto a monolayer of living cells in arbitrary shapes as well as in a high-density microarray format to create heterocellular microenvironments and study the effect of direct cell,cell interactions on cell fate. The entire process is performed in aqueous media to support full cell viability and functionality. [source]


    Artificial Stem Cell Niches,

    ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 32-33 2009
    Matthias P. Lutolf
    Abstract Stem cells are characterized by their dual ability to reproduce themselves (self-renew) and specialize (differentiate), yielding a plethora of daughter cells that maintain and regenerate tissues. In contrast to their embryonic counterparts, adult stem cells retain their unique functions only if they are in intimate contact with an instructive microenvironment, termed stem cell niche. In these niches, stem cells integrate a complex array of molecular signals that, in concert with induced cell-intrinsic regulatory networks, control their function and balance their numbers in response to physiologic demands. This progress report provides a perspective on how advanced materials technologies could be used (i) to engineer and systematically analyze specific aspects of functional stem cells niches in a controlled fashion in vitro and (ii) to target stem cell niches in vivo. Such "artificial niches" constitute potent tools for elucidating stem cell regulatory mechanisms with the capacity to directly impact the development of novel therapeutic strategies for tissue regeneration. [source]


    Role of the Osteoblast Lineage in the Bone Marrow Hematopoietic Niches,

    JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 5 2009
    Joy Y Wu
    First page of article [source]


    Wilkhahn: A tradition of the cutting edge

    DESIGN MANAGEMENT REVIEW, Issue 2 2002
    Brigitte Wolf
    Under the personal leadership of Fritz Hahne, Wilkhahn has created a niche for itself and earned a global reputation for designing high-quality, classically modern furniture that is both elegant and functional. In a rich overview of this German firm, Brigitte Wolf explores the business objectives, the work ethic, the design principles, the social and environmental values and, of course, the products and architecture that are the hallmark of this remarkable company. [source]


    The Hydra polyp: Nothing but an active stem cell community

    DEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, Issue 1 2010
    Thomas C. G. Bosch
    Hydra is a powerful stem cell model because its potential immortality and extensive regeneration capacity is due to the presence of three distinct stem cell lineages. All three lineages conform to a well-defined spatial distribution across the whole body column of the polyp. Stem cell function in Hydra is controlled by extracellular cues and intrinsic genetic programs. This review focuses on the elusive stem cell niche of the epithelial layers. Based on a comparison of the differences between, and commonalities among, stem cells and stem cell niches in Hydra and other invertebrates and vertebrates, we propose that the whole body column of the polyp may be considered a stem cell "niche" in which stem cell populations are established and signals ensuring the proper balance between stem cells and progenitor cells are integrated. We show that, at over 500 million years old, Hydra offers an early glimpse of the regulatory potential of stem cell niches. [source]


    The Rise of Kenyan Supermarkets and the Evolution of their Horticulture Product Procurement Systems

    DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 6 2004
    David Neven
    Supermarkets are rapidly penetrating urban food retail in Kenya and spreading well beyond their initially tiny market niche among the urban middle class into the food markets of lower-income groups. Having penetrated processed and staple food markets much earlier and faster than fresh foods, they have recently begun to make inroads into the fresh fruits and vegetables category. Supermarkets in Kenya already buy about half the volume of produce exported, and thus represent a significant new ,dynamic market' opportunity for farmers. The important changes in their procurement systems bring significant opportunities and challenges for small farmers, and have implications for agricultural diversification and rural development programmes and policies. [source]


    The Rapid Rise of Supermarkets in Central and Eastern Europe: Implications for the Agrifood Sector and Rural Development

    DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 5 2004
    Liesbeth Dries
    During the 1990s transition period in Central and Eastern Europe, the retail sector was privatised and some domestic-capital supermarket chains gradually emerged. Massive inflows of foreign direct investment followed and competitive domestic investments drove a rapid take-off of large-format modern retail sector development from a tiny ,luxury' niche of around 5% of food retail in the mid-1990s to 40,50% by 2003 in ,firstwave' and 20,40% in ,second-wave' countries. In ,third-wave' countries like Russia, it is still only 10% but growing very fast. In most countries there is rapid multi-nationalisation and consolidation of the supermarket sector, with profound changes in procurement systems affecting the conditions facing farmers, and creating important opportunities and challenges. [source]


    Adult neurogenesis in the crayfish brain: Proliferation, migration, and possible origin of precursor cells

    DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 7 2009
    Yi Zhang
    Abstract The birth of new neurons and their incorporation into functional circuits in the adult brain is a characteristic of many vertebrate and invertebrate organisms, including decapod crustaceans. Precursor cells maintaining life-long proliferation in the brains of crayfish (Procambarus clarkii, Cherax destructor) and clawed lobsters (Homarus americanus) reside within a specialized niche on the ventral surface of the brain; their daughters migrate to two proliferation zones along a stream formed by processes of the niche precursors. Here they divide again, finally producing interneurons in the olfactory pathway. The present studies in P. clarkii explore (1) differential proliferative activity among the niche precursor cells with growth and aging, (2) morphological characteristics of cells in the niche and migratory streams, and (3) aspects of the cell cycle in this lineage. Morphologically symmetrical divisions of neuronal precursor cells were observed in the niche near where the migratory streams emerge, as well as in the streams and proliferation zones. The nuclei of migrating cells elongate and undergo shape changes consistent with nucleokinetic movement. LIS1, a highly conserved dynein-binding protein, is expressed in cells in the migratory stream and neurogenic niche, implicating this protein in the translocation of crustacean brain neuronal precursor cells. Symmetrical divisions of the niche precursors and migration of both daughters raised the question of how the niche precursor pool is replenished. We present here preliminary evidence for an association between vascular cells and the niche precursors, which may relate to the life-long growth and maintenance of the crustacean neurogenic niche. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2009 [source]


    Accelerated nervous system development contributes to behavioral efficiency in the laboratory mouse: A behavioral review and theoretical proposal

    DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2001
    Ian Q. Whishaw
    Abstract The emergence of the laboratory mouse as a favored species for genetic research has posed a number of problems for scientists interested in the reflection of genetic influences in mouse behavior. It is commonly thought that rat behavior, which has been studied more extensively than mouse behavior, could be easily generalized to mice. In this article, a number of categories of behavior displayed by the mouse (motor, spatial, defensive, social) are reviewed and contrasted with the same categories of behavior displayed by the rat. The comparison suggests that mouse behavior is simpler and more dependent upon elementary actions than the behavior of the rat. We suggest that the behavioral simplification in the mouse adapts it for a different ecological niche than that occupied by the rat. We propose that this simplification may be mediated by accelerated brain maturation during development. We further propose that this developmental acceleration in the mouse renders it less dependent upon complex social behavior and plastic nervous system changes associated with learning than the rat. This difference poses problems for the development of relevant methods of behavioral analysis and interpretation. Since the mouse's biological adaptations will be reflected in laboratory behavior, suggestions are made for behavioral approaches to the study and interpretation of mouse behavior. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 39: 151,170, 2001 [source]


    GIS-based niche models identify environmental correlates sustaining a contact zone between three species of European vipers

    DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 3 2008
    F. Martínez-Freiría
    ABSTRACT The current range of European vipers is mostly parapatric but local-scale allopatric distribution is common and few cases of sympatry are known. In the High Course of Ebro River, northern Spain, there is a contact zone between Vipera aspis, V. latastei, and V. seoanei. Sympatry was detected between aspis and latastei and also specimens with intermediate morphological traits. Presence-data at a local scale (1 × 1 km) and ecological niche-based models manipulated in a GIS were used to (1) identify how environmental factors correlate with the distribution of the three vipers and with the location of the sympatry area, and (2) identify potential areas for viper occurrence and sympatry. Ensemble for casting with 10 Maximum Entropy models identified a mixture of topographical (altitude, slope), climatic (precipitation, evapotranspiration, and minimum and maximum temperature), and habitat factors (land cover) as predictors for viper occurrence. Similar predicted probabilities according to the variation of some environmental factors (indicating probable sympatry) were observed only for aspis-latastei and aspis-seoanei. In fact, areas of probable occurrence of vipers were generally allopatric but probable sympatry between vipers was identified for aspis-latastei in 76 UTM 1 × 1 km squares, for aspis-seoanei in 23 squares, and latastei-seoanei in two squares. Environmental factors correlate with the location of this contact zone by shaping the species range: some enhance spatial exclusion and constrain distribution to spatially non-overlapping ranges, while others allow contact between species. The distribution in the contact zone apparently results from the balance between the pressures exerted by the different environmental factors and in the sympatry area probably by interspecific competition. Further ecological and genetical data are needed to evaluate the dynamics of the probable hybrid zone. GIS and niche-modelling tools proved to be powerful tools to identify environmental factors sustaining the location of contact zones. [source]


    Invasive exotic aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) as a major threat to native Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica): a habitat suitability model approach

    DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 5 2007
    Pelayo Acevedo
    ABSTRACT The introduction of alien species to new environments is one of the main threats to the conservation of biodiversity. One particularly problematic example is that of wild ungulates which are increasingly being established in regions outside their natural distribution range due to human hunting interests. Unfortunately, we know little of the effects these large herbivores may have on the host ecosystems. This study deals with a first comparative analysis of the habitat requirements of two ungulate species that may be facing competition for resources in the south of Europe: the native Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) and the exotic aoudad (Ammotragus lervia). The aoudad is a North African caprid introduced in 1970 as a game species in south-eastern Spain. It has adapted well, and populations have been freely expanding since then. Ecological Niche Factor Analysis is used to describe the realized niche of both species where their distribution ranges merge. Both species occupy marginal areas of rugged terrain in the region. Marginality is higher for the Iberian ibex, which also presents a higher tolerance of secondary environmental gradients than the aoudad. Highly suitable areas for each species are secondarily suitable for the other. Reclassified and cross-tabulated habitat suitability maps showing the areas of potential spatial coexistence and differences in ecological traits between both species are provided. The results obtained do not allow inferring resource competition between these species. However, current aoudad expansion could result in it invading the favoured habitats of the ibex. Inadequate hunting policy and monitoring, and increasing climatic resemblance of the study region to the native aoudad areas, due to a strong desertification process, are facilitating a high rate of expansion. We strongly recommend to eradicate or, at least, monitor these exotic populations, and promote active conservation practices, if one wants to preserve the unique natural resources present in this European region. [source]


    The fundamental and realized niche of the Monterey Pine aphid, Essigella californica (Essig) (Hemiptera: Aphididae): implications for managing softwood plantations in Australia

    DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 4 2004
    Trudi N. Wharton
    ABSTRACT Essigella californica is a pine aphid native to western North America. In Australia, E. californica is considered an invasive pest that has the potential to cause severe economic loss to the Australian forestry industry. Two CLIMEX models were developed to predict the Australian and global distribution of E. californica under current climate conditions based upon the aphid's known North American distribution. The first model (model I) was fitted using the reasonably contiguous set of location records in North America that constituted the known range of E. californica, and excluded consideration of a single (reliable) location record of the aphid in southern Florida. The second model (model II) was fitted using all known records in North America. Model I indicated that the aphid would be climatically restricted to the temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical climatic regions of Australia. In northern Australia it would be limited by hot, wet conditions, while in more central areas of Australia it is limited by hot, dry conditions. Model II is more consistent with the current Australian distribution of E. californica. The contrast in geographical range and climatic conditions encompassed between the two models appears to represent the difference between the realized niche (model I) and fundamental niche (model II) of E. californica. The difference may represent the strength of biotic factors such as host limitation, competition and parasitism in limiting geographical spread in the native range. This paper provides a risk map for E. californica colonization in Australia and globally. E. californica is likely to remain a feature of the Australian pine plantations, and any feasibility studies into establishing coniferous plantations in lower rainfall areas should consider the likely impact of E. californica. [source]


    Biogeographic variation in nest placement: a case study with conservation implications

    DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 1 2002
    Jennifer M. Parody
    Abstract. Local habitat characteristics are often used to describe a species' niche despite the fact that habitat use can vary across the geographical range. We sought to quantify variation in habitat preferences by asking how nesting habit varies within and between populations of Bell's vireo (Vireo bellii) across its geographical range. Analyses of detailed nest placement data from three localities (Kansas, eastern New Mexico and western New Mexico) showed a general trend towards use of dense vegetation. However, there was substantial variation in nest placement and vegetation at nest sites between localities. Furthermore, a review of nest placement data from the literature shows strong differences in nest heights and species of trees even between populations less than 100 km apart. We evaluate these results in light of conservation and suggest that to be most effective, habitat conservation plans should be based on data collected at the locality where the population of interest occurs. [source]


    A PCA-based modelling technique for predicting environmental suitability for organisms from presence records

    DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 1-2 2001
    M. P. Robertson
    We present a correlative modelling technique that uses locality records (associated with species presence) and a set of predictor variables to produce a statistically justifiable probability response surface for a target species. The probability response surface indicates the suitability of each grid cell in a map for the target species in terms of the suite of predictor variables. The technique constructs a hyperspace for the target species using principal component axes derived from a principal components analysis performed on a training dataset. The training dataset comprises the values of the predictor variables associated with the localities where the species has been recorded as present. The origin of this hyperspace is taken to characterize the centre of the niche of the organism. All the localities (grid-cells) in the map region are then fitted into this hyperspace using the values of the predictor variables at these localities (the prediction dataset). The Euclidean distance from any locality to the origin of the hyperspace gives a measure of the ,centrality' of that locality in the hyperspace. These distances are used to derive probability values for each grid cell in the map region. The modelling technique was applied to bioclimatic data to predict bioclimatic suitability for three alien invasive plant species (Lantana camara L., Ricinus communis L. and Solanum mauritianum Scop.) in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. The models were tested against independent test records by calculating area under the curve (AUC) values of receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves and kappa statistics. There was good agreement between the models and the independent test records. The pre-processing of climatic variable data to reduce the deleterious effects of multicollinearity, and the use of stopping rules to prevent overfitting of the models are important aspects of the modelling process. [source]


    Modelling species distributions without using species distributions: the cane toad in Australia under current and future climates

    ECOGRAPHY, Issue 4 2008
    Michael Kearney
    Accurate predictions of the potential distribution of range-shifting species are required for effective management of invasive species, and for assessments of the impact of climate change on native species. Range-shifting species pose a challenge for traditional correlative approaches to range prediction, often requiring the extrapolation of complex statistical associations into novel environmental space. Here we take an alternative approach that does not use species occurrence data, but instead captures the fundamental niche of a species by mechanistically linking key organismal traits with spatial data using biophysical models. We demonstrate this approach with a major invasive species, the cane toad Bufo marinus in Australia, assessing the direct climatic constraints on its ability to move, survive, and reproduce. We show that the current range can be explained by thermal constraints on the locomotor potential of the adult stage together with limitations on the availability of water for the larval stage. Our analysis provides a framework for biologically grounded predictions of the potential for cane toads to expand their range under current and future climate scenarios. More generally, by quantifying spatial variation in physiological constraints on an organism, trait-based approaches can be used to investigate the range-limits of any species. Assessments of spatial variation in the physiological constraints on an organism may also provide a mechanistic basis for forecasting the rate of range expansion and for understanding a species' potential to evolve at range-edges. Mechanistic approaches thus have broad application to process-based ecological and evolutionary models of range-shift. [source]


    Effects of species' ecology on the accuracy of distribution models

    ECOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2007
    Jana M. McPherson
    In the face of accelerating biodiversity loss and limited data, species distribution models , which statistically capture and predict species' occurrences based on environmental correlates , are increasingly used to inform conservation strategies. Additionally, distribution models and their fit provide insights on the broad-scale environmental niche of species. To investigate whether the performance of such models varies with species' ecological characteristics, we examined distribution models for 1329 bird species in southern and eastern Africa. The models were constructed at two spatial resolutions with both logistic and autologistic regression. Satellite-derived environmental indices served as predictors, and model accuracy was assessed with three metrics: sensitivity, specificity and the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristics plots. We then determined the relationship between each measure of accuracy and ten ecological species characteristics using generalised linear models. Among the ecological traits tested, species' range size, migratory status, affinity for wetlands and endemism proved most influential on the performance of distribution models. The number of habitat types frequented (habitat tolerance), trophic rank, body mass, preferred habitat structure and association with sub-resolution habitats also showed some effect. In contrast, conservation status made no significant impact. These findings did not differ from one spatial resolution to the next. Our analyses thus provide conservation scientists and resource managers with a rule of thumb that helps distinguish, on the basis of ecological traits, between species whose occurrence is reliably or less reliably predicted by distribution models. Reasonably accurate distribution models should, however, be attainable for most species, because the influence ecological traits bore on model performance was only limited. These results suggest that none of the ecological traits tested provides an obvious correlate for environmental niche breadth or intra-specific niche differentiation. [source]


    Edaphic niche differentiation among Polybotrya ferns in western Amazonia: implications for coexistence and speciation

    ECOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2006
    Hanna TuomistoArticle first published online: 22 FEB 200
    To study the degree of edaphic specialization in Amazonian plants, the distribution patterns of seven species of Polybotrya ferns were studied in 109 sites in a climatically uniform area of northwestern Amazonia (Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru). The two most abundant species of Polybotrya were found in about two-thirds of the sites with almost 7000 individuals each, the rarest species occurred in just one site with 40 individuals. Each of the seven species appeared to have a unique realised niche, when niche dimensions were defined by gradients in soil texture, soil cation content, and inundation. The species also differed in how broadly or narrowly they were distributed along each gradient. Some species were practically never found in the same sites, whereas others co-occurred with a high frequency, in spite of showing clearly different abundance patterns among sites. A single site only contains a small part of the edaphic variation present in the landscape, and a small proportion of any species' niche space, so broad-scale studies are needed to adequately describe and compare species' niches and to assess to what degree niche differences promote species coexistence. The distribution patterns in Polybotrya are consistent with, but do not prove, that ecological speciation may have been important in the radiation of the genus. If such a pattern is found to be common in other Amazonian plants, this would indicate that each evolutionary lineage has adapted to the available habitats largely independently of the others. [source]


    Adaptive radiation through phenological shift: the importance of the temporal niche in species diversification

    ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
    JEAN-MARIE SACHET
    Abstract 1.,Phenological shift in oviposition in seed predators may be a key factor for adaptive radiation if temporal differences lead to less intense competition. 2.,This hypothesis was tested at two sites in the French Alps in three sympatric species of larch cone flies grouped into two phenological groups (early and late) differing in adult emergence and oviposition timing by approximately 2 weeks. The present study assessed the intensity of competition within and between groups by measuring four larval traits. Cone traits were measured, and the impact of early species parasitism on cone development was assessed. 3.,The occupation of the central axis of a developing cone by one early larva has a strong detrimental effect on cone growth and seed production. However, there was almost no correlation between the variables measured on the cones and on the larvae, suggesting that the resources available were not limiting. 4.,Inter-group competition had no significant effect on early larvae. In contrast, both inter- and intra-group competition had a significant negative effect on late larvae length (,11% and ,16% respectively), dry mass (,8% and ,23%), and lipid mass (,15% and ,26%). The intensity of competition was stronger among larvae in the same phenological group, which is consistent with the hypothesis that shifts in oviposition promote adaptive radiation in larch cone flies by reducing competition among larvae. [source]


    Can host-range allow niche differentiation of invasive polyphagous fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in La Réunion?

    ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 4 2008
    PIERRE-FRANCOIS DUYCK
    Abstract 1.,Biological invasions bring together formerly isolated insect taxa and allow the study of ecological interactions between species with no coevolutionary history. Among polyphagous insects, such species may competitively exclude each other unless some form of niche partitioning allows them to coexist. 2.,In the present study, we investigate whether the ability to exploit different fruits can increase the likelihood of coexistence of four species of polyphagous Tephritidae, one endemic and three successive invaders, in the island of La Réunion. In the laboratory, we studied the performances of all four species on the four most abundant fruit resources in the island, as well as the relative abundances of fly species on these four fruit species in the field. We observe no indication of niche partitioning for any of the four abundant fruits. 3.,Analyses of an extensive field data series suggest that: (i) the four fly species largely overlap in fruit exploitation, once climatic effects are accounted for; (ii) however, one species (Ceratitis capitata) can exploit rare fruit species that are not exploited by others present in the same climatic niche; and (iii) the endemic species C. catoirii, now nearly extinct in La Réunion, has no private niche with respect to either climatic range or fruit use. 4.,On the whole, with the possible exception of C. capitata, the results point to a limited role of fruit diversity in encouraging coexistence among polyphagous tephritids recently brought into contact by accidental introductions. [source]


    Fungivore host-use groups from cluster analysis: patterns of utilisation of fungal fruiting bodies by ciid beetles

    ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 6 2005
    Glenda M. Orledge
    Abstract., 1.,Ciid beetles typically live and breed in the fruiting bodies of lignicolous basidiomycete fungi. This study was undertaken to address the lack of an objective examination of patterns of host use by ciids. 2.,Cluster analysis of ciid host-use datasets from Britain, Germany, North America, and Japan, and subsequent cross-dataset comparisons, demonstrated the existence of ciid host-use patterns of wide geographical occurrence. These patterns were formalised as ciid host-use groups. 3.,Six Holarctic ciid host-use groups, and two host-use subgroups, were identified, and are described. Each host-use group comprises an assemblage of fungal genera and the breeding ciids that it supports. Each taxon belongs to only a single host-use group, but may be associated with several members of that group. There is a strong tendency for closely related taxa to belong to the same host-use group. 4.,It is suggested that ciid host-use groups are defined ultimately by host chemistry, with the ciids that belong to a particular group recognising, and responding positively to, emitted volatiles characterising the fungi belonging to that group. 5.,The idea of the host-use group bears comparison with the concepts of niche and guild, but is not equivalent to either. 6.,Ciid host-use groups have a valuable role to play in underpinning future studies of ciid ecology, also the systematics of both ciids and their fungal hosts. [source]


    Insect colonisation sequences in bracts of Heliconia caribaea in Puerto Rico

    ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 4 2000
    Barbara A. Richardson
    Summary 1. It was predicted that insects colonising Heliconia phytotelmata would exploit the different bract conditions along inflorescences, which result from sequential ageing. 2. Flowering of H. caribaea is asynchronous over a 6-month period. A method of identifying bracts of the same age, regardless of position on the inflorescence or inflorescence age, and from different plants over 2 years, was developed using comparative flowering phenology. 3. Heliconia insect larval communities were remarkably consistent from year to year in species composition and relative abundance. Occurrence within the plant population was also similar from year to year, and most species were Heliconia specific. 4. Significant interspecific differences were found in bract utilisation, with populations peaking at different stages of bract development. Ceratopogonid larvae were the earliest colonisers, followed by psychodids, syrphids, and culicids. Tipulids occurred much later in the cycle of bract development and ageing. These patterns were consistent in both years. 5. Patterns of bract utilisation provide strong support for temporal niche partitioning by variation in oviposition and development time. Communities were not considered to be structured by predation or pH changes along the bract sequence. [source]