Differences in resource use or in tolerances to abiotic conditions are often invoked as potential mechanisms underlying the sympatric distribution of cryptic species. Additionally, the microbiome can provide physiological adaptations of the host to environmental conditions. We determined the intra- and interspecific variability of the microbiomes of three cryptic nematode species of the Litoditis marina species complex that co-occur, but show differences in abiotic tolerances. Roche 454 pyrosequencing of the microbial 16S rRNA gene revealed distinct bacterial communities characterized by a substantial diversity (85-513 OTUs) and many rare OTUs. The core microbiome of each species contained only very few OTUs (2-6), and four OTUs were identified as potentially generating tolerance to abiotic conditions. A controlled experiment in which nematodes from two cryptic species (Pm1 and Pm3) were fed with either an E. coli suspension or a bacterial mix was performed, and the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using the MiSeq technology. OTU richness was 10-fold higher compared to the 454 data set and ranged between 1118 and 7864. This experiment confirmed the existence of species-specific microbiomes, a core microbiome with few OTUs, and high interindividual variability. The offered food source affected the bacterial community and illustrated different feeding behaviour between the cryptic species, with Pm3 exhibiting a higher degree of selective feeding than Pm1. Morphologically similar species belonging to the same feeding guild (bacterivores) can thus have substantial differences in their associated microbiomes and feeding strategy, which in turn may have important ramifications for biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships.

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Density of conspecifics is considered as one of the main conditions affecting dispersal behavior and leading to a stabilization of population dynamics. Density-dependent dispersal can be induced by local competition at different phases during development and/or by density-related sources of social information. Here, we assessed the importance of population density on emigration rates and the degree to which the presence of silk threads at dispersal takeoff locations affects immediate dispersal decision making in the spider Erigone atra. By quantifying behaviors in wind tunnels under standardized laboratory conditions, silk-assisted long-and short-distance dispersal is quantified before the actual onset of the dispersal event.Increased densities during juvenile development only affected short-distance dispersal behavior. In females, short-distance dispersal increased with the female density experienced during development, whereas responses in males increased under combined high male/low female-experienced densities. Elevated densities at the onset of dispersal led to a general increase of predispersal behaviors. The presence of silk threads at takeoff platforms similarly induced an increase of dispersal displays, with specifically an increase in long-distance dispersal in both sexes.Our results demonstrate that the spider E. atra uses information related to density during development, most probably to avoid competition by performing short-distance dispersal. In contrast, density-related cues at the time of dispersal (i.e., increased densities and the presence of silk threads) increase general dispersal activities and long-distance ballooning events. Short-and long-distance dispersal strategies are consequently guided by differential density-related information use.

Co-occurrence of closely related species may be achieved in environments with fluctuating dynamics, where competitively inferior species can avoid competition through dispersal. Here we present an experiment in which we compared active dispersal abilities (time until first dispersal, number and gender of dispersive adults, and nematode densities at time of dispersal) in Litoditis marina, a common bacterivorous nematode species complex comprising four often co-occurring cryptic species, Pm I, II, III, and IV, as a function of salinity and food distribution. The experiment was conducted in microcosms consisting of an inoculation plate, connection tube, and dispersal plate. Results show species-specific dispersal abilities with Pm I dispersing almost one week later than Pm III. The number of dispersive adults at time of first dispersal was species-specific, with one dispersive female in Pm I and Pm III and a higher, gender-balanced, number in Pm II and Pm IV. Food distribution affected dispersal: in absence of food in the inoculation plate, all species dispersed after ca four days. When food was available Pm I dispersed later, and at the same time and densities irrespective of food conditions in the dispersal plate (food vs no food), suggesting density-dependent dispersal. Pm III dispersed faster and at a lower population density. Salinity affected dispersal, with slower dispersal at higher salinity. These results suggest that active dispersal in Litoditis marina is common, density-dependent, and with species, gender- and environment-specific dispersal abilities. These differences can lead to differential responses under suboptimal conditions and may help to explain temporary coexistence at local scales.

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Competition is one of the main drivers of dispersal, which can be an important mechanism to achieve permanent or temporal coexistence of multiple species. This coexistence can be achieved by a dispersal-competition tradeoff, spatial store effects or neutral dynamics. Here we test the effect of inter- and intraspecific competition on dispersal of four species of the marine nematode species complex Litoditis marina. A previous study in closed microcosms without a possibility for dispersal had demonstrated pronounced interspecific competition, leading to the exclusion of one species. We now investigated whether 1) the dispersal is affected by interspecific interactions, by intraspecific competition (density) or by food availability, 2) the dispersal dynamics influence assemblage composition and can lead to co-occurrence of the species, and 3) the abiotic environment (here salinity) can affect these dynamics. We show that density is the main driver for dispersal in two of the four species. Dispersal of a third species always started at the same time irrespective of density, whereas in the fourth species interspecific interactions accelerated dispersal. Remarkably, this fourth species was not a strong competitor, suggesting that a dispersal–competition tradeoff does not explain the observed coexistence. Salinity did not alter the timing of dispersal when interspecific interactions were present but did affect assemblage composition. Consequently, spatial store effects may influence coexistence. All four species co-occurred in fairly stable abundances throughout the present experiment indicating the importance of species specific dispersal strategies for coexistence. Co-occurrence can be facilitated because competition is postponed or avoided by dispersal. Neutral dynamics also played a role as intra- and interspecific competition were of similar importance in three of the four species. We conclude that dispersal is a driver of the coexistence of closely related nematode species, and that population density and interspecific interactions shape these dynamics

In addition to an increase in mean temperature, climate change models predict decreasing amplitudes of daily temperature fluctuations. In temperate regions, where daily and seasonal fluctuations are prominent, such decreases in daily temperature fluctuations can have a pronounced effect on the fitness of species and on the outcome of species interactions. In this study, the effect of a temperature regime with daily fluctuations versus a constant temperature on the fitness and interspecific interactions of three cryptic species of the marine nematode species complex of Litoditis marina (Pm I, Pm III and Pm IV) were investigated. In a lab experiment, different combinations of species (monospecific treatment: Pm I and Pm IV and Pm III alone; two-species treatment: Pm I + Pm IV; three-species treatment: Pm I + Pm IV + Pm III) were subjected to two different temperature regimes: one constant and one fluctuating temperature. Our results showed that fluctuating temperature had minor or no effects on the population fitness of the three species in monocultures. In contrast, interspecific interactions clearly influenced the fitness of all three species, both positively and negatively. Temperature regime did have a substantial effect on the interactions between the species. In the two-species treatment, temperature regime altered the interaction from a sort of mutualism to commensalism. In addition, the strength of the interspecific interactions changed depending on the temperature regime in the three-species treatment. This experiment confirms that interactions between the species can change depending on the abiotic environment; these results show that it is important to incorporate the effect of fluctuations on interspecific interactions to predict the effect of climate change on biodiversity.

Marine ecosystems are experiencing accelerating population and species loss. Some ecosystem functions are decreasing and there is growing interest in the link between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The role of cryptic (morphologically identical but genetically distinct) species in this biodiversity-ecosystem functioning link is unclear and has not yet been formally tested. We tested if there is a differential effect of four cryptic species of the bacterivorous nematode Litoditis marina on the decomposition process of macroalgae. Bacterivorous nematodes can stimulate or slow down bacterial activity and modify the bacterial assemblage composition. Moreover, we tested if interspecific interactions among the four cryptic species influence the decomposition process. A laboratory experiment with both mono- and multispecific nematode cultures was conducted, and loss of organic matter and the activity of two key extracellular enzymes for the degradation of phytodetritus were assessed. L. marina mainly influenced qualitative aspects of the decomposition process rather than its overall rate: an effect of the nematodes on the enzymatic activities became manifest, although no clear nematode effect on bulk organic matter weight loss was found. We also demonstrated that species-specific effects on the decomposition process existed. Combining the four cryptic species resulted in high competition, with one dominant species, but without complete exclusion of other species. These interspecific interactions translated into different effects on the decomposition process. The species-specific differences indicated that each cryptic species may play an important and distinct role in ecosystem functioning. Functional differences may result in coexistence among very similar species.