Fine-scale niche differences allow the co-existence of congeneric aquatic beetles in supratidal rockpools

Here we focused on the co-occurrence pattern on regional and local scales, and on the niche differences of two species of congeneric beetles ( Ochthebius quadricollis and O. lejolisii , Hydraenidae) exclusive of supratidal rockpools. Abundances of adults and larval stages from both species and envir...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hydrobiologia 2024-02, Vol.851 (3), p.471-485
Main Authors: García-Meseguer, A. J., Abellán, P., Mirón-Gatón, J. M., Botella-Cruz, M., Guareschi, S., Millán, A., Velasco, J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Annual variations
Beetles
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Coasts
Coexistence
Coleoptera
Conductivity
Ecological distribution
Ecological effects
Ecological niches
Ecology
Environmental conditions
Freshwater & Marine Ecology
Interspecific
Larvae
Larval stage
Life Sciences
Niches
Periphyton
Primary Research Paper
Regression analysis
Regression models
Salinity
Sediments
Segregation
Storage effects
Zoology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Here we focused on the co-occurrence pattern on regional and local scales, and on the niche differences of two species of congeneric beetles ( Ochthebius quadricollis and O. lejolisii , Hydraenidae) exclusive of supratidal rockpools. Abundances of adults and larval stages from both species and environmental variables were obtained in 10 pools from 12 localities along the Iberian Mediterranean coast. To determine the local co-existence pattern, we monthly sampled two localities in an annual cycle. On regional and local scales, we found negative correlations between both species’ pool abundances, which suggest spatio-temporal segregation based on their different environmental responses. The OMI analysis detected interspecific niche differences, larger in larvae than adults. The best regression models obtained for O. quadricollis larvae included depth, conductivity, and fine sediments as the main explanatory variables with a positive effect, and distance to sea and CPOM with a negative effect. For O. lejolisii larvae, the best models included CPOM and periphyton with positive effects, while pool area, depth and conductivity negatively affected. Our results suggest that subtle interspecific differences in ecological niches, mainly those related to pool hydroperiod and salinity, could determine spatio-temporal storage effects as the principal mechanisms of co-existence on local and regional scales.
ISSN:0018-8158
1573-5117
DOI:10.1007/s10750-023-05333-0