Wing morphology predicts individual niche specialization in pteronotus mesoamericanus (Mammalia: Chiroptera)
Morphological variation between individuals can increase niche segregation and decrease intraspecific competition when heterogeneous individuals explore their environment in different ways. Among bat species, wing shape correlates with flight maneuverability and habitat use, with species that posses...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science
2020
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| _version_ | 1797070586878361600 |
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| author | Magalhães de Oliveira, HF Camargo, N Hemprich-Bennett, D Rodriguez-Herrera, B Rossiter, SJ Clare, EL |
| author_facet | Magalhães de Oliveira, HF Camargo, N Hemprich-Bennett, D Rodriguez-Herrera, B Rossiter, SJ Clare, EL |
| author_sort | Magalhães de Oliveira, HF |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Morphological variation between individuals can increase niche segregation and decrease intraspecific competition when heterogeneous individuals explore their environment in different ways. Among bat species, wing shape correlates with flight maneuverability and habitat use, with species that possess broader wings typically foraging in more cluttered habitats. However, few studies have investigated the role of morphological variation in bats for niche partitioning at the individual level. To determine the relationship between wing shape and diet, we studied a population of the insectivorous bat species Pteronotus mesoamericanus in the dry forest of Costa Rica. Individual diet was resolved using DNA metabarcoding, and bat wing shape was assessed using geometric morphometric analysis. Inter-individual variation in wing shape showed a significant relationship with both dietary dissimilarity based on Bray-Curtis estimates, and nestedness derived from an ecological network. Individual bats with broader and more rounded wings were found to feed on a greater diversity of arthropods (less nested) in comparison to individuals with triangular and pointed wings (more nested). We conclude that individual variation in bat wing morphology can impact foraging efficiency leading to the observed overall patterns of diet specialization and differentiation within the population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:41:01Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:5b8d3074-3e8c-43ed-9574-64b564eca6e8 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:41:01Z |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:5b8d3074-3e8c-43ed-9574-64b564eca6e82022-03-26T17:22:45ZWing morphology predicts individual niche specialization in pteronotus mesoamericanus (Mammalia: Chiroptera)Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:5b8d3074-3e8c-43ed-9574-64b564eca6e8EnglishSymplectic ElementsPublic Library of Science2020Magalhães de Oliveira, HFCamargo, NHemprich-Bennett, DRodriguez-Herrera, BRossiter, SJClare, ELMorphological variation between individuals can increase niche segregation and decrease intraspecific competition when heterogeneous individuals explore their environment in different ways. Among bat species, wing shape correlates with flight maneuverability and habitat use, with species that possess broader wings typically foraging in more cluttered habitats. However, few studies have investigated the role of morphological variation in bats for niche partitioning at the individual level. To determine the relationship between wing shape and diet, we studied a population of the insectivorous bat species Pteronotus mesoamericanus in the dry forest of Costa Rica. Individual diet was resolved using DNA metabarcoding, and bat wing shape was assessed using geometric morphometric analysis. Inter-individual variation in wing shape showed a significant relationship with both dietary dissimilarity based on Bray-Curtis estimates, and nestedness derived from an ecological network. Individual bats with broader and more rounded wings were found to feed on a greater diversity of arthropods (less nested) in comparison to individuals with triangular and pointed wings (more nested). We conclude that individual variation in bat wing morphology can impact foraging efficiency leading to the observed overall patterns of diet specialization and differentiation within the population. |
| spellingShingle | Magalhães de Oliveira, HF Camargo, N Hemprich-Bennett, D Rodriguez-Herrera, B Rossiter, SJ Clare, EL Wing morphology predicts individual niche specialization in pteronotus mesoamericanus (Mammalia: Chiroptera) |
| title | Wing morphology predicts individual niche specialization in pteronotus mesoamericanus (Mammalia: Chiroptera) |
| title_full | Wing morphology predicts individual niche specialization in pteronotus mesoamericanus (Mammalia: Chiroptera) |
| title_fullStr | Wing morphology predicts individual niche specialization in pteronotus mesoamericanus (Mammalia: Chiroptera) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wing morphology predicts individual niche specialization in pteronotus mesoamericanus (Mammalia: Chiroptera) |
| title_short | Wing morphology predicts individual niche specialization in pteronotus mesoamericanus (Mammalia: Chiroptera) |
| title_sort | wing morphology predicts individual niche specialization in pteronotus mesoamericanus mammalia chiroptera |
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