Niche dynamics of shorebirds in Delaware Bay: Foraging behavior, habitat choice and migration timing

Novčić, Ivana

doi:10.1016/j.actao.2016.07.002

Cited by 17 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…However, these species did not differ in foraging preferences between bare mud and G. vermiculophylla patches at the smallest spatial scale (<1 m 2 ), although preference for G. vermiculophylla patches was statistically marginal for dunlin. These are larger shorebirds, with long beaks used for tactile foraging, that often probe deep into the substrate to capture infaunal prey, though willets and dunlin also use visual detection (Stenzel et al 1976, Rojas et al 1999, Castillo-Guerrero et al 2009, Novcic 2016. Given that these shorebirds forage below the sediment surface, the presence of G. vermiculophylla may not hinder prey detection, leading to their observed largely random foraging across patch types.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Notably, the third peep species, least sandpipers, strongly preferred foraging in G. vermiculophylla patches at the small scale – a pattern distinct from the other peeps species. Indeed, least sandpipers are known to utilize heavily vegetated microhabitats for foraging (Novcic ) and feed primarily on amphipods (Nebel and Cooper ). Thus, peeps and semipalmated plovers provide notable examples of how species identity (particularly morphology, behavior, and ecological niche) can alter the overall response of a community to an invasive ecosystem engineer.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mixed effects of an introduced ecosystem engineer on the foraging behavior and habitat selection of predators

Haram

Kinney

Sotka

et al. 2018

Ecology

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Invasive ecosystem engineers both positively and negatively affect their recipient ecosystems by generating novel habitats. Many studies have focused on alterations to ecosystem properties and to native species diversity and abundance caused by invasive engineers. However, relatively few studies have documented the extent to which behaviors of native species are affected. The red seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla (Rhodophyta) invaded estuaries of the southeastern United States within the last few decades and now provides abundant aboveground vegetative cover on intertidal mudflats that were historically devoid of seaweeds. We hypothesized that G. vermiculophylla would affect the foraging behavior of native shorebirds positively for birds that target seaweed‐associated invertebrates or negatively for birds that target prey on or within the sediment now covered with seaweed. Visual surveys of mudflats >1 ha in size revealed that more shorebirds occurred on mudflats with G. vermiculophylla relative to mudflats without G. vermiculophylla. This increased density was consistent across 7 of 8 species, with the one exception being the semipalmated plover Charadrius semipalmatus. A regression‐based analysis indicated that while algal presence predicted shorebird density, densities of some bird species depended on sediment composition and infaunal invertebrate densities. At smaller spatial scales (200 m2 and <1 m2), experimental removals and additions of G. vermiculophylla and focal observations showed strong variation in behavioral response to G. vermiculophylla among bird species. Birds preferentially foraged in bare mud (e.g., C. semipalmatus), in G. vermiculophylla (e.g., Arenaria interpres), or displayed no preference for either habitat (e.g., Tringa semipalmata). Thus, while the presence of the invasive ecosystem engineer on a mudflat appeared to attract greater numbers of these predators, shorebird species differed in their behavioral responses at the smaller spatial scales that affect their foraging. Our research illuminates the need to account for species identity, individual behavior, and scale when predicting the impacts of invasive species on native communities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mixed effects of an introduced ecosystem engineer on the foraging behavior and habitat selection of predators

Haram

Kinney

Sotka

et al. 2018

Ecology

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“…In addition to inter-individual measurements, we also considered several other independent variables that could potentially have an impact on foraging: time of year (early vs. late; the median passage date of semipalmated sandpipers through the bay was May 22 (Novcic 2016), which was taken as a dividing point); recording location; recording time of day; temperature (the temperature was obtained from the NOAA website, the station was less than 10 km away from all three locations); the occurrence of wind and direct sunshine (there were no rainy days during the study period); position of the focal bird (edge vs. centre of the flock); distance to cover (a distance to the nearest wooded area).…”

Section: Statistical Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of forager density on feeding rates in spring-staging Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidrispusilla) using different foraging modes

Novčić

Beauchamp²

2018

Can. J. Zool.

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We examined the influence of the density of foragers on feeding rates of Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla (Linnaeus, 1766)) while using different foraging modes at a spring stopover site in Delaware Bay, USA. Using dynamic estimates of interindividual distances obtained at short intervals of time, we explored how forager density affected feeding rates when Semipalmated Sandpipers used visual pecking or tactile probing. Pecking rate significantly increased with interindividual distances, whereas probe rate was not affected by density. Our study also showed that in fast-moving foragers, such as Semipalmated Sandpipers, in which the number of nearby foragers and distance to the nearest neighbour continuously change throughout the foraging bout, pecking rates are more affected by nearest neighbour distance than by the number of foragers in their immediate vicinity. In addition, our study implies that foragers using different foraging modes might be differently affected by nearby competitors perhaps in response to prey disturbance by neighbours.

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“…Resource use partitioning has been reported for several taxa, including, mammals [6,14], birds [15–16]), reptiles and amphibians [17–18] fishes [19], and invertebrates [20]. These studies showed that several mechanisms, such as differences in phenology or specific habitat selection, led to a decrease in competition, allowing the species to coexist.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Niche partitioning and coexistence of two spiders of the genus Peucetia (Araneae, Oxyopidae) inhabiting Trichogoniopsis adenantha plants (Asterales, Asteraceae)

et al. 2019

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Niche theory suggests that the coexistence of ecologically similar species in the same site requires some form of resource partitioning that reduces or avoids interspecific competition. Here, from July 2013 to December 2015, we investigated spatial niche differentiation at three different scales of two sympatric congeneric spiders, Peucetia rubrolineata and P. flava, along an altitudinal gradient in shaded and open areas in an Atlantic forest in Serra do Japi, SP, Brazil. These spiders are peculiar in that they present an exclusive association with the plant Trichogoniopsis adenantha (Asteraceae). In theory, the coexistence of two Peucetia species could be explained by: (1) microhabitat segregation with individuals from different species occupying different parts of the same plants; (2) mesohabitat segregation with different species using plant in different environments; (3) macrohabitat segregation, where different species would not co-occur along the altitudinal gradient. With respect to micro-habitat use, in both species, different instars used different plant parts, while the same instars of both species used the same type of substrate. However, the two Peucetia species segregated by meso-habitat type, with P. rubrolineata preferring T. adenantha plants in shaded areas and P. flava preferring those in open areas. Our results support the hypothesis of niche partitioning begetting diversity, and highlight the importance of analyzing habitat use at multiple scales to understand mechanisms related to coexistence.

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Niche dynamics of shorebirds in Delaware Bay: Foraging behavior, habitat choice and migration timing

Cited by 17 publications

References 55 publications

Mixed effects of an introduced ecosystem engineer on the foraging behavior and habitat selection of predators

Mixed effects of an introduced ecosystem engineer on the foraging behavior and habitat selection of predators

Effect of forager density on feeding rates in spring-staging Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidrispusilla) using different foraging modes

Niche partitioning and coexistence of two spiders of the genus Peucetia (Araneae, Oxyopidae) inhabiting Trichogoniopsis adenantha plants (Asterales, Asteraceae)

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