Trophic Niche Breadth of Falconidae Species Predicts Biomic Specialisation but Not Range Size
Trophic niche breadth plays a key role in biogeographic distribution patterns. Theory posits that generalist strategies are favoured in a more heterogeneous set of environments across a spatio-temporal gradient of resources predictability, conferring individuals and species a greater capacity for co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/4/522 |
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| author | Juan A. Fargallo Juan Navarro-López Juan L. Cantalapiedra Jonathan S. Pelegrin Manuel Hernández Fernández |
| author_facet | Juan A. Fargallo Juan Navarro-López Juan L. Cantalapiedra Jonathan S. Pelegrin Manuel Hernández Fernández |
| author_sort | Juan A. Fargallo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Trophic niche breadth plays a key role in biogeographic distribution patterns. Theory posits that generalist strategies are favoured in a more heterogeneous set of environments across a spatio-temporal gradient of resources predictability, conferring individuals and species a greater capacity for colonising new habitats and thus expanding their distribution area. Using the family Falconidae (Aves, Falconiformes) as a model study, we tested the prediction that those species with a wider diet spectrum will have larger geographic range sizes and inhabit more biomes. We assessed the relationships between trophic breadth (diet richness and diversity) at different taxonomic resolutions of the prey (class and order), range size and biomic specialisation index (BSI; number of biomes inhabited) for the different species. Despite different diet breadth indexes and taxonomic resolutions defined differently the trophic niche of the clade and species, our findings revealed that trophic breadth was not a good predictor for range size but was for total environmental heterogeneity, with more diet-generalist species occupying a higher number of biomes. Diet breadth at the order taxonomic level showed a higher capacity of predicting BSI than at class level, and can be an important ecological trait explaining biogeographic patterns of the species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:09:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c955a82894b649129a7d131511f02c42 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:09:25Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c955a82894b649129a7d131511f02c422023-12-01T00:50:53ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372022-03-0111452210.3390/biology11040522Trophic Niche Breadth of Falconidae Species Predicts Biomic Specialisation but Not Range SizeJuan A. Fargallo0Juan Navarro-López1Juan L. Cantalapiedra2Jonathan S. Pelegrin3Manuel Hernández Fernández4Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Ciencias de la Vida (Sección de Ecología), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, SpainGrupo de Investigación en Ecología y Conservación de la Biodiversidad (EcoBio), Área de Biología y Programa de Maestría en Educación Ambiental y Desarrollo Sostenible, Facultades de Educación y Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Calle 5 62-00, Cali 760035, ColombiaDepartamento de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y Paleontología Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, José Antonio Novais 12, 28040 Madrid, SpainTrophic niche breadth plays a key role in biogeographic distribution patterns. Theory posits that generalist strategies are favoured in a more heterogeneous set of environments across a spatio-temporal gradient of resources predictability, conferring individuals and species a greater capacity for colonising new habitats and thus expanding their distribution area. Using the family Falconidae (Aves, Falconiformes) as a model study, we tested the prediction that those species with a wider diet spectrum will have larger geographic range sizes and inhabit more biomes. We assessed the relationships between trophic breadth (diet richness and diversity) at different taxonomic resolutions of the prey (class and order), range size and biomic specialisation index (BSI; number of biomes inhabited) for the different species. Despite different diet breadth indexes and taxonomic resolutions defined differently the trophic niche of the clade and species, our findings revealed that trophic breadth was not a good predictor for range size but was for total environmental heterogeneity, with more diet-generalist species occupying a higher number of biomes. Diet breadth at the order taxonomic level showed a higher capacity of predicting BSI than at class level, and can be an important ecological trait explaining biogeographic patterns of the species.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/4/522biomeecological specialisationdiet richnessdiversityFalconiformesgeneralist |
| spellingShingle | Juan A. Fargallo Juan Navarro-López Juan L. Cantalapiedra Jonathan S. Pelegrin Manuel Hernández Fernández Trophic Niche Breadth of Falconidae Species Predicts Biomic Specialisation but Not Range Size Biology biome ecological specialisation diet richness diversity Falconiformes generalist |
| title | Trophic Niche Breadth of Falconidae Species Predicts Biomic Specialisation but Not Range Size |
| title_full | Trophic Niche Breadth of Falconidae Species Predicts Biomic Specialisation but Not Range Size |
| title_fullStr | Trophic Niche Breadth of Falconidae Species Predicts Biomic Specialisation but Not Range Size |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trophic Niche Breadth of Falconidae Species Predicts Biomic Specialisation but Not Range Size |
| title_short | Trophic Niche Breadth of Falconidae Species Predicts Biomic Specialisation but Not Range Size |
| title_sort | trophic niche breadth of falconidae species predicts biomic specialisation but not range size |
| topic | biome ecological specialisation diet richness diversity Falconiformes generalist |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/4/522 |
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