Journal articles on the topic 'Microhabitat'
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1
Ohlson, Mikael, and Olle Zackrisson. "Tree establishment and microhabitat relationships in north Swedish peatlands." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 22, no. 12 (December 1, 1992): 1869–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x92-244.
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We sowed seeds of Pinussylvestris L., Pinuscontorta Dougl, Piceaabies (L.) Karst., and Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P. at five different virgin peatland sites in northern Sweden. Seeds were sown in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990. The seeds were sown in three different types of microhabitat, viz Pleurozium, Sphagnumfuscum, and Sphagnumangustifolium. Germination and seedling mortality were monitored each year. Both germination and mortality were significantly affected by the micro-habitat. Sphagnumangustifolium microhabitats were most favourable and Pleurozium microhabitats were least favourable for germination of all tree species. In contrast, the mortality for all tree species was highest in Sphagnumangustifolium microhabitats and lowest in Pleurozium microhabitats. Lowest average mortality was found among the nonindigenous Pinuscontorta and Piceamariana. The coniferous tree species had a species-specific relationship with the microhabitat. Pinussylvestris seeds were the most able to germinate in the Pleurozium microhabitats, and seedling mortality was strongly affected by the microhabitat. Piceaabies was the least affected by the microhabitat, and seedling mortality was high irrespective of microhabitat.
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SKUJA, AGNIJA. "Microhabitat preference of caddisfly (Trichoptera) communities in a medium-sized lowland stream in Latvia." Zoosymposia 5, no. 1 (June 10, 2011): 425–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zoosymposia.5.1.36.
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The microhabitat preference of caddisfly (Trichoptera) communities was studied in 8 types of microhabitats in a fast-flowing, medium-sized, lowland stream in Latvia. A total 36 caddisfly taxa belonging to 14 families were recorded in microhabitat samples. A PCA biplot of caddisfly taxa abundance in microhabitats showed 3 distinct caddisfly taxa groups: depositional [Limnephilidae Gen. sp., Anabolia laevis (Zetterstedt) and Lasiocephala basalis (Kolenati)], lithal [Agapetus ochripes Curtis and Psychomyia pusilla (Fabricius)], and submerged macrophyte and water moss caddisfly microhabitat communities (Ithytrichia lamellaris Eaton, Hydropsyche siltalai Döhler and Hydropsyche spp. juv.). The habitats of these groups differed in current velocity and the amount of plant detritus. All size lithal microhabitat samples were characterized by grazer and scraper dominance and a similar proportion of gatherers/collectors. Macrolithal microhabitat with Fontinalis sp. and submerged macrophyte microhabitats were rich with passive filter feeders. Functional feeding type ratios were equal, with dominance of shredders, in FPOM, CPOM in akal microhabitats. Submerged macrophyte and Fontinalis sp. provided suitable niches for higher species numbers than the other microhabitat types, whereas abundance was the highest in the lithal microhabitats with the largest particle size.
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Purser, A., J. Ontrup, T. Schoening, L. Thomsen, R. Tong, V. Unnithan, and T. W. Nattkemper. "Microhabitat and shrimp abundance within a Norwegian cold-water coral ecosystem." Biogeosciences 10, no. 9 (September 3, 2013): 5779–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-5779-2013.
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Abstract. Cold-water coral (CWC) reefs are heterogeneous ecosystems comprising numerous microhabitats. A typical European CWC reef provides various biogenic microhabitats (within, on and surrounding colonies of coral species such as Lophelia pertusa, Paragorgia arborea and Primnoa resedaeformis, or formed by their remains after death). These microhabitats may be surrounded and intermixed with non-biogenic microhabitats (soft sediment, hard ground, gravel/pebbles, steep walls). To date, studies of distribution of sessile fauna across CWC reefs have been more numerous than those investigating mobile fauna distribution. In this study we quantified shrimp densities associated with key CWC microhabitat categories at the Røst Reef, Norway, by analysing image data collected by towed video sled in June 2007. We also investigated shrimp distribution patterns on the local scale (<40 cm) and how these may vary with microhabitat. Shrimp abundances at the Røst Reef were on average an order of magnitude greater in biogenic reef microhabitats than in non-biogenic microhabitats. Greatest shrimp densities were observed in association with live Paragorgia arborea microhabitat (43 shrimp m−2, SD = 35.5), live Primnoa resedaeformis microhabitat (41.6 shrimp m−2, SD = 26.1) and live Lophelia pertusa microhabitat (24.4 shrimp m−2, SD = 18.6). In non-biogenic microhabitat, shrimp densities were <2 shrimp m−2. CWC reef microhabitats appear to support greater shrimp densities than the surrounding non-biogenic microhabitats at the Røst Reef, at least at the time of survey.
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Johnson, M. A., R. Kirby, S. Wang, and J. B. Losos. "What drives variation in habitat use by Anolis lizards: habitat availability or selectivity?" Canadian Journal of Zoology 84, no. 6 (June 2006): 877–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z06-068.
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Geographic variation in habitat availability may drive geographic variation in a species’ habitat use; alternatively, species adapted to particular habitat characteristics may use a habitat regardless of its availability within an environment. In this study, we investigated habitat use of two sympatric species of Anolis lizards that are morphologically specialized to use different microhabitats. We examined variation in microhabitat use and availability among four distinct forest types. In each forest type, we quantified available microhabitats (i.e., perch diameter, angle of inclination, and visibility), as well as microhabitats actually used by each species. We found that species consistently differed in microhabitat use, corresponding to each species’ morphological specializations. However, microhabitat use of both species varied among sites. This variation in Anolis gundlachi Peters, 1876 reflected differences in microhabitat availability, while the variation in Anolis krugi Peters, 1876 resulted from differential microhabitat selectivity. These results indicate that both habitat availability and habitat preferences must be examined in multiple localities for a species to understand the causes of variation in its habitat use.
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Manna, Luisa Resende, Carla Ferreira Rezende, and Rosana Mazzoni. "Habitat use by Astyanax taeniatus (Jenyns, 1842) (Characiformes: Characidae) in a coastal stream from Southeast Brazil." Neotropical Ichthyology 12, no. 1 (March 2014): 187–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s1679-62252014000100020.
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The habitat use of a stream-dwelling Astyanax taeniatus from the State of Rio de Janeiro was investigated. We performed 12 h of underwater observation in a 200 m long stretch in the upper Roncador stream and quantified the following microhabitat descriptors: (i) water velocity, (ii) distance from the stream bank, (iii) substratum, and (iv) water column depth. Microhabitat selectivity was analyzed by comparing the microhabitat used by fish and the microhabitat available in the study site as well as by applying the Ivlev Electivity Index to the microhabitat use data. Differences in the use and availability of the various microhabitats revealed non-stochastic patterns of spatial occupation by A. taeniatus, which was selective for two of the four analyzed microhabitats. Our findings indicated that A. taeniatusis associated with habitats that have higher depths, low water velocity, and sand and bedrock substratum.
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SILVA, Cláudia P. D. "ALIMENTAÇÃO E DISTRIBUIÇÃO ESPACIAL DE ALGUMAS ESPÉCIES DE PEIXES DO IGARAPÉ DO CANDIRÚ, AMAZONAS, BRASIL." Acta Amazonica 23, no. 2-3 (1993): 271–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1809-43921993233285.
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O conteúdo estomacal de 29 espécies de peixes e a distribuição destas em diferentes microhabitats existentes em um igarapé de terra-firme, igarapé do Candirú, na Amazônia Central, foram analisados. Sete tipos de microhabitats foram observados e algumas espécies apresentaram estruturas morfológicas adaptativas que eram adequadas à captura do alimento consumido e ao microhabitat onde foram sempre coletadas. A relação entre a dieta alimentar e o microhabitat no qual a espécie permanecia, foi observada. Outras espécies apresentaram mudanças na escolha do microhabitat em relação ao seu estágio de desenvolvimento, embora não tenha sido observada alteração quanto ao tipo de alimento consumido. Neste caso é possível que a diminuição no risco de predação seja o fator principal influenciando na mudança de microhabitat. Neste trabalho são discutidos alguns prováveis fatores que influenciam as espécies na escolha de um determinado microhabitat a ser explorado.
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Cabral Eterovick, Paula, and Isalita Souza Barros. "Niche occupancy in south-eastern Brazilian tadpole communities in montane-meadow streams." Journal of Tropical Ecology 19, no. 4 (July 2003): 439–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s026646740300347x.
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Microhabitat use by tadpole species was investigated in streams of montane meadows of the Serra do Cipó, south-eastern Brazil. Microhabitats were classified into 24 types based on water depth, current, aquatic vegetation and substrate type, and quantified in 16 streams. A total of 844 tadpoles from 19 species was recorded, as well as microhabitat types used. Tadpoles, from all species pooled, used microhabitat types in the proportions available in the set of sampled streams. Diversity of microhabitats used was considered as a measure of niche breadth for tadpoles, and microhabitat diversity in streams was interpreted as available niche space. For the most part, species used microhabitats in different proportions, and conspecifics differed in microhabitat use among different streams. Neither niche breadths nor niche overlaps of tadpoles could be related to the number of species occupying streams. Thus not all available niche space may be occupied by tadpole species. More generalist species (those with broader niches) did not generally occupy more streams. Behavioural flexibility of tadpoles in microhabitat use may be a response to the unpredictability of the montane-meadow stream habitat. The role of adult anurans in choosing oviposition sites may also influence the distribution of tadpole species among streams.
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Wilson, Shaun K., Martial Depczynski, Christopher J. Fulton, Thomas H. Holmes, Ben T. Radford, and Paul Tinkler. "Influence of nursery microhabitats on the future abundance of a coral reef fish." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 283, no. 1836 (August 17, 2016): 20160903. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.0903.
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Species habitat associations are often complex, making it difficult to assess their influence on populations. Among coral reef fishes, habitat requirements vary among species and with ontogeny, but the relative importance of nursery and adult-preferred habitats on future abundances remain unclear. Moreover, adult populations may be influenced by recruitment of juveniles and assessments of habitat importance should consider relative effects of juvenile abundance. We conducted surveys across 16 sites and 200 km of reef to identify the microhabitat preferences of juveniles, sub-adults and adults of the damselfish Pomacentrus moluccensis . Microhabitat preferences at different life-history stages were then combined with 6 years of juvenile abundance and microhabitat availability data to show that the availability of preferred juvenile microhabitat (corymbose corals) at the time of settlement was a strong predictor of future sub-adult and adult abundance. However, the influence of nursery microhabitats on future population size differed spatially and at some locations abundance of juveniles and adult microhabitat (branching corals) were better predictors of local populations. Our results demonstrate that while juvenile microhabitats are important nurseries, the abundance of coral-dependent fishes is not solely dependent on these microhabitats, especially when microhabitats are readily available or following large influxes of juveniles.
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Lira, A. F. A., and A. M. DeSouza. "Microhabitat use of harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) assemblage in the highland Brazilian Atlantic rainforest." Canadian Journal of Zoology 94, no. 5 (May 2016): 323–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2015-0219.
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Brazilian Atlantic rainforest is one of the largest hotspots of biodiversity in the world, with the highest number of harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) species per given area. Currently, however, information on the species richness or spatial distribution of these arachnids in this northeastern Brazilian biome is extremely scarce. We conducted a field study to examine the microhabitat use of harvestmen in a fragment of the highland Atlantic rainforest. Harvestmen fauna and the microhabitat preference were assessed by nocturnal active search across 3 months (September to November 2011). Three hundred and eighteen individuals of eight harvestmen species from seven microhabitats were sampled. Four species were categorized as generalists, colonizing five or six microhabitats, whereas three species showed microhabitat specificity, being found in only one or two microhabitats. The forest ground microhabitat revealed higher harvestmen species richness, indicating that the majority of the harvestmen assemblage is composed of ground-dwelling species.
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Cole, Heather A., Steven G. Newmaster, F. Wayne Bell, Doug Pitt, and Al Stinson. "Influence of microhabitat on bryophyte diversity in Ontario mixedwood boreal forest." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 38, no. 7 (July 2008): 1867–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x08-036.
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As forest management intensifies, the conservation of forest biodiversity is a growing concern. Bryophytes are known to represent a considerable portion of plant diversity within northern forests. This is because bryophyte diversity is closely associated with microhabitat diversity. In this study, the influence of microhabitats on bryophyte diversity was investigated by comparing eight different boreal mixedwood microhabitats. The results indicate that bryophyte diversity (species richness, abundance, and evenness) is quite variable among microhabitats. The accumulation of species richness with microhabitat quantity within a forest stand also varies among microhabitats. β-diversity analyses indicate that the variety of microhabitats has considerable influence on community structure. Frequency analysis identified bryophytes that are restricted to or prefer particular microhabitats. Although all microhabitats are important to bryophyte diversity, decayed logs and rocks supported the greatest number of microhabitat-specific species, and rock microhabitats supported the largest total number of species. Recommendations for forest management, one of which emphasizes the need to recognize and manage the natural variety of microhabitats, such as downed woody material, found within the forests to conserve or restore bryophyte diversity are provided.
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Vilenica, Marina, Andreja Brigić, Michel Sartori, and Zlatko Mihaljević. "Microhabitat selection and distribution of functional feeding groups of mayfly larvae (Ephemeroptera) in lotic karst habitats." Knowledge & Management of Aquatic Ecosystems, no. 419 (2018): 17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/kmae/2018011.
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Research examining mayfly ecology in karst streams and rivers has increased in recent years, though microhabitat preferences remain poorly characterized. We examined mayfly assemblage taxonomy, functional feeding groups and microhabitat preferences in two contrasting lotic Dinaric karst catchments, one pristine and one anthropogenically impacted. At monthly intervals over a one-year period, all major microhabitats (i.e. dominated by boulders, cobbles, sand, silt, mosses, or angiosperms) were sampled at sites spanning springs, upper, middle and lower river reaches, and tufa barriers. In both catchments, mayfly species richness was comparable among microhabitats, while mayfly abundance was highest on mosses and lowest on silt. NMDS ordination did not group assemblages according to microhabitat type, which may reflect the greater influence of physical and chemical water properties. In both catchments and all microhabitats, mayfly assemblages were dominated by grazers/scrapers at upstream sites and by detritivores at downstream sites. Active filter feeders were more abundant in microhabitats with silt substrates and lower current velocities. This study demonstrated that certain mayfly species strongly preferred a specific microhabitat type, reflecting their water current preferences and feeding strategies, while other species shifted between microhabitats, likely in search of food resources and shelter. The results emphasize the importance of habitat heterogeneity in supporting diverse communities in karst rivers.
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Silva, K. A., J. M. F. F. Santos, J. R. Andrade, E. N. Lima, U. P. Albuquerque, E. M. N. Ferraz, and E. L. Araújo. "The influence of microhabitat on the population dynamics of four herbaceous species in a semiarid area of northeastern Brazil." Brazilian Journal of Biology 76, no. 1 (January 22, 2016): 45–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.10014.
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Abstract Variation in annual rainfall is considered the most important factor influencing population dynamics in dry environments. However, different factors may control population dynamics in different microhabitats. This study recognizes that microhabitat variation may attenuate the influence of climatic seasonality on the population dynamics of herbaceous species in dry forest (Caatinga) areas of Brazil. We evaluated the influence of three microhabitats (flat, rocky and riparian) on the population dynamics of four herbaceous species (Delilia biflora, Commelina obliqua, Phaseolus peduncularis and Euphorbia heterophylla) in a Caatinga (dry forest) fragment at the Experimental Station of the Agronomic Research Institute of Pernambuco in Brazil, over a period of three years. D. biflora, C. obliqua and P. peduncularis were found in all microhabitats, but they were present at low densities in the riparian microhabitat. There was no record of E. heterophylla in the riparian microhabitat. Population size, mortality rates and natality rates varied over time in each microhabitat. This study indicates that different establishment conditions influenced the population size and occurrence of the four species, and it confirms that microhabitat can attenuate the effect of drought stress on mortality during the dry season, but the strength of this attenuator role may vary with time and species.
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Sutherland, Duncan R., and Martin Predavec. "The effects of moonlight on microhabitat use by Antechinus agilis (Marsupialia : Dasyuridae)." Australian Journal of Zoology 47, no. 1 (1999): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo98037.
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This study investigates the effect of lunar illumination on microhabitat use of Antechinus agilis, an insectivorous, semi-arboreal species of dasyurid marsupial. The study was conducted in tall open forest near Melbourne, Australia, from April to August 1997. Microhabitat was investigated by use of live trapping and fluorescent pigment tracking. The influence of light on spatial and temporal activity was investigated by comparing microhabitat use in the field at two extremes of moonlight intensity, full and new moon, and by manipulating light intensity in the field. Antechinus agilis were trapped in and tracked through dense microhabitats in a greater proportion than was available, although this pattern was evident only in the vegetation stratum below one metre from the ground. Furthermore, animals did not respond to the microhabitat at the point of capture, but responded to a larger microhabitat scale radiating 10 m from the trap. However, light intensity appears to have little influence on the spatial or temporal activity of A. agilis at this site. Therefore A. agilis appear not to differentially use denser microhabitats in relation to light intensity. Habitat complexity, prey availability, interspecific competition and predation are discussed as possible reasons why A. agilis differentially use denser microhabitats.
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Kadlec, D., A. Šimková, and M. Gelnar. "The microhabitat distribution of two Dactylogyrus species parasitizing the gills of the barbel, Barbus barbus." Journal of Helminthology 77, no. 4 (December 2003): 317–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/joh2003183.
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AbstractThe microhabitat distribution of two congeneric species Dactylogyrus carpathicus and D. malleus (Monogenea) parasitizing the gills of the barbel (Barbus barbus L.) was investigated. We tested whether congeneric species exhibited microhabitat preference and whether interspecific interactions could be attributed to the microhabitat segregation of congeners. The outlying mean index method was used to evaluate species microhabitats. Gill variables (different microhabitats within gills) were used as environmental factors characterizing the gills. When abundances of both species were highest, and no significant difference was found between the abundance of the two species, the gill segments and gill areas were the most important factors segregating the Dactylogyrus species on the gills. Niche overlap was low within each of the four gill arches, and parasites were segregated in the same microhabitats within each gill arch. When abundances of both species were low, each monogenean species was segregated at the level of the gill arches. When abundances of both species increased, the niche and overlap between species increased. The distribution of both congeneric species confirmed microhabitat preference within the gills. The results suggest that microhabitat preference is dependent on species abundances, species being segregated in the case of low abundance, possibly to increasing mating opportunities. Both niche and overlap between species increased with species abundance. In the case of the high abundance of both species, microhabitat preference seems to be related to interspecific interactions between monogenean species, as previously found for endoparasitic species.
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Hu, Bing, Zhu-Wen Xu, Wei Xue, and Fei-Hai Yu. "Species-Level Versus Community-Level Responses to Microhabitat Type and Diversity in an Experimental Plant Community." Diversity 14, no. 10 (September 27, 2022): 803. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d14100803.
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Soil heterogeneity has been theoretically predicted to promote plant performance, but empirical evidence is often mixed. By focusing on a gradient of microhabitats (single, three and six types of microhabitats), we tested the hypothesis that increasing the number of microhabitats promotes the diversity and productivity of plant communities. We created different types of microhabitats by adding different forms of nitrogen (NH4+, NO3− and glycine) or combinations of these nitrogen in an even or patchy way. Community biomass, but not evenness, differed in different types of single-microhabitat. Increasing the number of microhabitat types did not alter community growth or evenness, but it increased the difference in the relative abundance of plant species within the community. These results suggest that microhabitat diversity can influence plant competitive hierarchies, and that this effect can lead to changed community growth, but may not be decisive for plant evenness.
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M'Closkey, Robert T. "Patterns of microhabitat use and seed collection within populations of heteromyid rodents." Canadian Journal of Zoology 63, no. 2 (February 1, 1985): 325–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z85-049.
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Microhabitat use and seeds in cheek pouches were examined in four species of heteromyid rodent. Individuals of each species were classified as male or female, resident or transient, and adult or juvenile. The following question is addressed: are there any differences in microhabitat use and seed collection within rodent species and are these differences associated with the sex, residence, or age of individuals? For microhabitats, there were significant differences among individuals for each species analyzed. However, these differences could not be attributed to sex, residence, or age groups within populations. In addition, there were no differences within rodent species in the variety or number of seeds contained in individual cheek pouches. In spite of apparent differences in microhabitat use among heteromyid species, individual rodents are extremely variable in their use of microhabitats.
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ETEROVICK, PAULA CABRAL, and G. WILSON FERNANDES. "Tadpole distribution within montane meadow streams at the Serra do Cipó, southeastern Brazil: ecological or phylogenetic constraints?" Journal of Tropical Ecology 17, no. 5 (September 2001): 683–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s026646740100150x.
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Features of microhabitats used by tadpoles of 17 anuran species were recorded in 16 streams in the montane meadows of the Serra do Cipó, southeastern Brazil. Month of occurrence of tadpoles, from November 1998 to February 2000 (16 months) was also recorded. The most important ecological features in differentiating tadpole species were position in the water column, time of occurrence and water depth. Tadpole species were then compared based on their microhabitat preferences, and it was tested whether phylogenetically closer species use microhabitats in a more similar way. In hylids, microhabitat use patterns were not influenced by proposed phylogenetic relationships, and many convergences in ecomorphological types may exist. On the other hand, leptodactylids may have undergone a conservative evolutionary history, as they formed a relatively homogeneous group concerning ecomorphological types and microhabitat preferences.
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Kessler, Richard K., and James H. Thorp. "Microhabitat Segregation of the Threatened Spotted Darter (Etheostoma maculatum) and Closely Related Orangefin Darter (E. bellum)." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 50, no. 5 (May 1, 1993): 1084–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f93-124.
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We examined differences in microhabitat use in sympatric populations of the closely related spotted darter (Etheostoma maculatum) and orangefin darter (E. bellum) (subgenus Nothonotus). Sample plots and underwater observations were employed to assess patterns of microhabitat use by both species. Quantitative sampling using a prepositioned electrofishing sampler demonstrated that species segregated by microhabitats. Etheostoma maculatum occupied areas of greater depth and larger, more diverse substrate sizes than E. bellum in July and October of 1991. Underwater observations also revealed species-specific differences in substrate use. Etheostoma maculatum was observed mostly under rocks whereas E. bellum was more general in substrate use. The narrow range of microhabitat use by E. maculatum may contribute to its status as a threatened species in Kentucky. During July 1991, an unusually high discharge month that year, males of both species occupied microhabitats of significantly higher velocities and larger substrate sizes than females. Our data suggest that opportunities for coexistence between these closely related darters are enhanced by microhabitat partitioning which is linked to behavioral and morphological differences.
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Paruchuri, Spurthi, Andrew T. Smith, Zhaofei Fan, and F. Stephen Dobson. "Microhabitat use by plateau pikas: living on the edge." Journal of Mammalogy 100, no. 4 (May 30, 2019): 1221–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyz085.
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AbstractMammals rely on habitat resources for survival and reproduction. We studied microhabitats used by plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Microhabitat features used by pikas include sedge meadows that provide forage, burrows that provide safety from predators and cover for nests, degraded open-dirt patches, and edges between sedge meadow and open dirt patches that often have a “lip” between those microhabitats. We investigated the extent to which these edges might serve as a preferred pika microhabitat. GIS techniques were used to overlay individual pika home ranges, determined by focal and scan sampling, on a digitized map containing microhabitat features. Regions that contained multiple coinciding individual home ranges, referred to as overlap polygons, were categorized numerically based on the number of individual home ranges that overlapped each polygon. These overlap polygons were used as relative measures of pika activity. We tested the spatial relationship between pika activity and the microhabitat features of edges, burrows, and proportional area of sedge. There was a significant relationship between the number of pikas in an overlap polygon and the number of pikas in an adjacent polygon. This pattern was controlled statistically to test whether activity was influenced by the presence of potentially favorable microhabitat features. Most of the variation in number of pikas that overlapped a habitat polygon was associated with the relative amount of “edge microhabitat” between sedge meadow and degraded open dirt patches (Cohen’s effect size, f2 = 0.91). Neither burrow openings nor sedge had a strong influence on the number of pika home ranges that overlapped. The importance of microhabitat edges appeared high for plateau pikas.
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James, Sarah E., and Robert T. M'Closkey. "Patterns of microhabitat use in a sympatric lizard assemblage." Canadian Journal of Zoology 80, no. 12 (December 1, 2002): 2226–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z02-212.
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The distribution of animals among habitats and microhabitats has frequently been used to examine patterns of niche overlap. We characterized microhabitat differences within an assemblage of four phrynosomatine lizard species (Sceloporus graciosus, Sceloporus undulatus, Urosaurus ornatus, and Uta stansburiana) that are commonly syntopic in the pinyon pine juniper woodland habitat on the elevated mesas of western Colorado. We censused lizard populations and recorded microhabitat characteristics of areas surrounding capture sites within Colorado National Monument, U.S.A. Discriminant function analysis of microhabitat features extracted two significant roots, explaining 89% of the microhabitat variation observed among species. Planned comparisons of canonical scores revealed two significant microhabitat niche differences. First, the microhabitat niche of U. ornatus was distinguished from those of all the other species by higher perch height and more vertical substrate, indicating this species' arboreality. Second, the microhabitat niche of S. graciosus was distinguished from those of the other species by having more flatland and less rock, indicating the use of more open flat sandy areas within the pinyon pine juniper woodland by this terrestrial species. Although the observed differences in microhabitat may influence the coexistence of these ecologically similar species, changes in relative abundance of the species over time suggest alternative mechanisms of coexistence.
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Wang, Guohai, Yang Pan, Guole Qin, Weining Tan, and Changhu Lu. "Effects of microhabitat on rodent-mediated seed removal of endangered Kmeria septentrionalis in the karst habitat." PeerJ 8 (November 16, 2020): e10378. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10378.
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Seed removal behaviors of rodents are largely influenced by microhabitat. Although the karst ecosystem is composed of a broad variety of microhabitats, we have no information on how they affect such behaviors. We investigated rodents’ seed removal behaviors in four karst microhabitats (stone cavern, stone groove, stone surface, and soil surface) using three types of Kmeria septentrionalis seeds: fresh, black (intact seeds with black aril that dehydrates and darkens), and exposed (clean seeds without the aril). We show that Rattus norvegicus, Leopoldamys edwardsi and Rattus flavipectus were the predominant seed predators. Even though all seed types experienced a high removal rate in all four microhabitats, but rodents preferentially removed seeds from the three stone microhabitats (stone caves: 69.71 ± 2.74%; stone surface: 60.53 ± 2.90%; stone groove: 56.94 ± 2.91%) compared to the soil surface (53.90 ± 2.92%). Seeds that had been altered by being exposed to the environment were more attractive to rodents than fresh seeds (76.25 ± 2.20% versus 36.18 ± 2.29%). The seed removal behavior of rodents was significantly affected by the microhabitat and seed type. Finally, seeds that had fallen on the soil surface microhabitat incurred a lower predation risk than seeds fallen on other microhabitats, which increased their probability to germinate. Our results indicate that the lower predation rate of seeds from the endangered K. septentrionalis dropped on the soil surface increases trees’ likelihood of survival.
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Wood, Brian M., and Mark B. Bain. "Morphology and microhabitat use in stream fish." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 52, no. 7 (July 1, 1995): 1487–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f95-143.
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Microhabitat use and body morphology were compared among 15 warmwater stream fishes from the Alabama River (Alabama, U.S.A.) watershed. Morphological variation among separate populations of a species was detected in 14 of the 15 species, indicating that populations should be separated in analyses among species. Comparison of morphological variation between microhabitat generalist and specialist species suggested that all species may vary in morphology relative to their environment. Regression analysis showed that within two families, Cyprinidae and Percidae, morphology was related to specific microhabitat variables. In the Centrarchidae, morphology was not related to any microhabitat variables. Morphological differences among the species occurred along gradients that were similar to gradients of habitat utilization, indicating that within a family, species widely separated in microhabitat use were morphologically different and species using similar microhabitats were similar in morphology. Our results suggest that patterns of morphological variation correspond to properties of the available habitat for warmwater stream fish species.
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Civantos, Emilio, Rosa Arribas, and Jose Martín. "Niche occupancy of two (congeneric) skinks in an islands environment." Amphibia-Reptilia 41, no. 3 (June 30, 2020): 337–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10002.
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Abstract Among the scincid lizards inhabiting the Mediterranean region, the Ocellated skink (Chalcides ocellatus) and the little-known and endangered Chafarinas’ skink (Chalcides parallelus) co-occur in sympatry at the Chafarinas Islands (NW Africa). Although both species are present in the archipelago, C. ocellatus is spread in the three islands, but C. parallelus is present only in one island. What factors influence this distribution, and whether these two species show evidence for syntopy is unknown. In this study, we investigated spatial niche occupancy at the level of microhabitat of both skinks at the Chafarinas Islands. We tested for microhabitat differences between islands and then, we tested the null hypothesis of no differences between microhabitat used by each of these skink species and a set of locations chosen at random from the general habitat. Results showed that the distribution and abundance of available microhabitats were different among islands, thus each island has different spatial niches that may be important in distinguishing the areas occupied by these skinks. Results also revealed that C. ocellatus did not use available microhabitats at random, but preferentially selected particular microhabitats. However, C. parallelus used microhabitats according to their availability, although it showed some aspects of habitat selection similar to C. ocellatus. Our results showed that the inclusion of detailed microhabitat descriptors could be useful for understanding patterns of niche occupancy by these skinks species. Furthermore, to our knowledge this is the first study documenting the spatial niche selection of C. parallelus and provides novel ecological information that may be of major importance to develop management strategies that will help to conserve this endangered species.
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Martins, Kleber S., Zaida Ortega, and Vanda L. Ferreira. "Calling site selection by male Boana punctata (Anura: Hylidae)." Amphibia-Reptilia 42, no. 3 (May 28, 2021): 343–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10060.
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Abstract Amphibian species require specific conditions for reproduction, such as cover structures and shelters, in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats, which directly influence reproductive success. A careful selection of calling sites is an important process, driving life-history strategies and tactics in amphibians. Despite this, a significant knowledge gap on how different variables modulate amphibian microhabitat selection processes is noted. Thus, we aimed to: (1) describing the microhabitat use of adult neotropical Boana punctata males during the breeding season; and (2) quantitatively analyzing the selection process of five resource variables (i.e., vegetation cover, vegetation density, vegetation height, water depth, and distance to the water shore). We then compared the microhabitat selection of males that achieved spawning and that of males that did not achieve spawning. To quantify selection, we used a resource selection function approach, applying a case/control design where the calling site used by each male was paired to eight surrounding, unused locations. We found that males selected microhabitats with higher vegetation than surrounding areas for reproduction, which suggests territorialism, and selected microhabitats slightly (∼ 30 cm) inside the assessed ponds. Males also acted randomly with regard to the other variables, not influencing the males’ microhabitat selection. Microhabitat use of males successful in obtaining females to spawn was similar to that of males exhibiting mating failure. In addition to being of ecological interest, our study highlights that preserving tall vegetation and the ponds’ shores is important for the conservation of existing B. punctata urban populations.
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Borzée, Amaël, Miyeon Kim, Jun Young Kim, Taeho Kim, and Yikweon Jang. "Microhabitat use during brumation in the Japanese treefrog, Dryophytes japonicus." Amphibia-Reptilia 39, no. 2 (2018): 163–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-17000036.
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Abstract Although amphibians undergo drastic changes in physiology and behaviour before hibernation, this phase of their life cycle (i.e., brumation) is the least understood. We investigated the patterns of microhabitat use by Dryophytes japonicus during brumation using a Harmonic Direction Finder to track 27 adults in October 2013. Most frogs used chestnut trees throughout their diel cycle. The species was most active within the “leafy vegetation” microhabitat, moving about 2 m within 72 h on average, and mostly circa 10 AM. Frogs moved less in the four other microhabitats, with individuals moving between 1 m and 50 cm, typically during the early afternoon. Around 3 pm, the microhabitat mostly used was “on bark”, with displacements almost totally halted. The use of microhabitats and shelters, as well as movements in relation to time of day, suggests that D. japonicus displays behavioural thermoregulation during brumation. This research is the first providing insights in the brumation ecology of a non-freeze-resistant Palearctic anuran.
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Chapin, Kenneth James. "Microhabitat and spatial complexity predict group size of the whip spider Heterophrynus batesii in Amazonian Ecuador." Journal of Tropical Ecology 30, no. 2 (December 20, 2013): 173–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467413000850.
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Abstract:The process by which solitary animals evolve to live in groups is a central question in biology. Conspecifics that compete for patchy resources may evolve incipient social behaviours such as group formation and conspecific tolerance when persistent aggressive interactions reduce resource access. In this investigation, a facultative group living species of whip spider was studied to understand the microhabitat resources that support group formation. Although most species of whip spider are solitary and oftentimes cannibalistic, Heterophrynus batesii sometimes aggregate in small groups at the bases of tree trunks. Twenty-five groups of whip spiders and associated tree buttress microhabitats were surveyed at Tiputini Biodiversity Station bordering Yasuní National Park in Eastern Amazonian Ecuador. Tree buttress complexity, surface area and other microhabitat variables were recorded. Heterophrynus batesii aggregated in groups of 2–8 animals and used large, buttressing, complex trees with more leaf litter relative to those available in the environment. This study showed that large groups of whip spiders require more complex microhabitats than smaller groups that were associated with more variable microhabitat parameters. These microhabitats act as patches of limited resources important for the species, and may have led to the evolution of tolerance and facultative group living.
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Bower, Luke M., David E. Saenz, and Kirk O. Winemiller. "Widespread convergence in stream fishes." Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 133, no. 3 (April 23, 2021): 863–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blab043.
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Abstract Convergent evolution, the evolution of similar phenotypes among distantly related lineages, is often attributed to adaptation in response to similar selective pressures. Here, we assess the prevalence and degree of convergence in functional traits of stream fishes at the microhabitat scale in five zoogeographical regions across the world. We categorized species by microhabitat, water velocity and preference for substrate complexity and calculated the prevalence of convergence, degree of convergence and functional diversity for each category. Among species occupying similar microhabitats of small, low-gradient streams, 34% had combinations of convergent traits. Convergence occurred at higher rates than expected by chance alone, implying that adaptation to similar environmental conditions often resulted in similar evolutionary patterns along multiple niche dimensions. Two of the microhabitat groupings had significantly convergent species represented in all zoogeographical regions. Fishes occupying microhabitats with high water velocity and low structural complexity generally occupied a restricted morphospace and exhibited greater prevalence and higher degrees of convergence. This suggests that water velocity and habitat structural complexity interact, selecting a restricted distribution of trait distributions and higher degrees of convergence in stream fish assemblages. Furthermore, these results suggest that microhabitat features in streams select for fish trait distributions in a fairly predictable and deterministic manner worldwide.
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Pyare, Sanjay, and William S. Longland. "Interrelationships among northern flying squirrels, truffles, and microhabitat structure in Sierra Nevada old-growth habitat." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 32, no. 6 (June 1, 2002): 1016–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x02-002.
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During 1997-1998, we investigated the influence of both the relative abundance of truffles, preferred food items, and microhabitat structure on the occurrence of northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus Shaw) in old-growth forest habitat of the Sierra Nevada Range, U.S.A. Following live-trapping sessions, we searched the forest floor for truffle diggings and sampled the soil for truffles. Diggings were more abundant where flying squirrels were captured, suggesting squirrels were active near areas of the forest floor where truffles had recently been excavated. The frequency of sampling plots with truffles was higher where squirrels were captured, further suggesting preferences for microhabitats where truffles were more abundant. We also measured 15 microhabitat variables at trap stations to evaluate the influence of aboveground microhabitat characteristics on squirrel occurrence. Results indicated that flying squirrels preferred microhabitats with understory cover, which may minimize predation from aerial predators like spotted owls (Strix occidentalis Merriam). Neither abundance of coarse woody debris, a feature conducive to fungal growth, nor the abundance of potential nesting sites (i.e., snags) measurably influenced squirrel occurrence. While various aboveground forest-microhabitat characteristics affect the use of old-growth forests by flying squirrels, these animals refine their use of these forests based on fine-scale changes in the availability of a highly preferred and ephemeral food item.
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Kuuluvainen, Timo, and Raija Laiho. "Long-term forest utilization can decrease forest floor microhabitat diversity: evidence from boreal Fennoscandia." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 34, no. 2 (February 1, 2004): 303–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x03-159.
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Forest floor microhabitat diversity was studied in old Pinus sylvestris L. dominated forest sites in two regions within the middle boreal vegetation zone in Fennoscandia: in 50 managed forest sites in the Häme region in southwestern Finland and in 45 natural or old selectively logged forest sites in the KuhmoViena region in northeastern Finland and northwestern Russia. The forests in the Häme region are characterized by a long history of forest utilization, while the forests in the KuhmoViena region can be regarded as natural or near natural. The managed forest sites in Häme had significantly lower forest floor microhabitat diversity compared with natural and near-natural forests. Microhabitats that were significantly more scarce in managed versus natural and near-natural forest sites included humps, depressions, decayed wood, and vicinity of decayed wood. On the other hand, even ground was significantly more abundant in managed forest compared with natural and near-natural forest. Microhabitat availability was also reflected in the occurrence of tree saplings growing in different microhabitats. The results suggest that long-term forest utilization has decreased forest floor microhabitat diversity. This has occurred because of a decreased amount of fallen deadwood and, possibly, lack of soil disturbances because of fewer uprootings caused by falling trees.
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Araújo, Elcida de Lima, Kleber Andrade da Silva, Elba Maria Nogueira Ferraz, Everardo Valadares de Sá Barretto Sampaio, and Suzene Izídio da Silva. "Diversidade de herbáceas em microhabitats rochoso, plano e ciliar em uma área de caatinga, Caruaru, PE, Brasil." Acta Botanica Brasilica 19, no. 2 (June 2005): 285–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s0102-33062005000200011.
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Objetivou-se avaliar a influência da heterogeneidade micro-espacial no aumento da fitodiversidade herbácea em uma área de caatinga de Caruaru, Pernambuco, Brasil. Microhabitats rochosos, planos e ciliares foram selecionados, e nesses foi realizado um levantamento quali-quantitativo das herbáceas ocorrentes em 35 parcelas de 1 m², em cada microhabitat. Todas as ervas nas parcelas foram contadas, marcadas e identificadas, coletando-se também outras espécies herbáceas ocorrentes entre as parcelas. A riqueza taxonômica total de herbáceas foi mais elevada ao se considerar o conjunto dos microhabitats. A flora total foi de 62 espécies, 42 destas ocorrendo no microhabitat rochoso, 32 no plano e 39 no ciliar. O índice de similaridade florística de Jaccard entre os microhabitats variou de 42% (plano × ciliar) a 57% (rochoso × plano). Isoladamente, as riquezas de espécies nos microhabitats plano, rochoso e ciliar foram de 3,09; 3,88 e de 4,18 espécies (ln ind.)-1 e as diversidades, pelo índice de Shannon-Wiener, foram de 2,08; 2,09 e de 2,52 nats.ind.-1, respectivamente. Malvaceae, Euphorbiaceae e Poaceae apresentaram maior número de espécies. A densidade total de herbáceas foi de 4.009 ind.105 m-2, sendo 1.749 indivíduos do microhabitat rochoso, 1.020 do ciliar e 1.240 do plano. Cerca de 19% das espécies eram trepadeiras e foram consideradas como um grupo importante para conservação da biodiversidade local. Evidenciou-se a importância da inclusão das herbáceas dos diferentes microhabitats, para a determinação da riqueza florística da caatinga.
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Baken, Erica K., Lauren E. Mellenthin, and Dean C. Adams. "Is salamander arboreality limited by broad-scale climatic conditions?" PLOS ONE 16, no. 8 (August 18, 2021): e0255393. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255393.
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Identifying the historical processes that drive microhabitat transitions across deep time is of great interest to evolutionary biologists. Morphological variation can often reveal such mechanisms, but in clades with high microhabitat diversity and no concomitant morphological specialization, the factors influencing animal transitions across microhabitats are more difficult to identify. Lungless salamanders (family: Plethodontidae) have transitioned into and out of the arboreal microhabitat many times throughout their evolutionary history without substantial morphological specialization. In this study, we explore the relationship between microhabitat use and broad-scale climatic patterns across species’ ranges to test the role of climate in determining the availability of the arboreal microhabitat. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we reveal that arboreal species live in warmer, lower elevation regions than terrestrial species. We also employ ecological niche modeling as a complementary approach, quantifying species-level pairwise comparisons of niche overlap. The results of this approach demonstrate that arboreal species on average display more niche overlap with other arboreal species than with terrestrial species after accounting for non-independence of niche model pairs caused by geographic and phylogenetic distances. Our results suggest that occupation of the arboreal microhabitat by salamanders may only be possible in sufficiently warm, low elevation conditions. More broadly, this study indicates that the impact of micro-environmental conditions on temporary microhabitat use, as demonstrated by small-scale ecological studies, may scale up dramatically to shape macroevolutionary patterns.
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Lathlean, Justin A., David J. Ayre, Ross A. Coleman, and Todd E. Minchinton. "Using biomimetic loggers to measure interspecific and microhabitat variation in body temperatures of rocky intertidal invertebrates." Marine and Freshwater Research 66, no. 1 (2015): 86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf13287.
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Until recently, marine scientists have relied heavily on satellite sea surface temperatures and terrestrial weather stations as indicators of the way in which the thermal environment, and hence the body temperatures of organisms, vary over spatial and temporal scales. We designed biomimetic temperature loggers for three species of rocky intertidal invertebrates to determine whether mimic body temperatures differ from the external environment and among species and microhabitats. For all three species, microhabitat temperatures were considerably higher than the body temperatures, with differences as great as 11.1°C on horizontal rocky substrata. Across microhabitats, daily maximal temperatures of the limpet Cellana tramoserica were on average 2.1 and 3.1°C higher than body temperatures of the whelk Dicathais orbita and the barnacle Tesseropora rosea respectively. Among-microhabitat variation in each species’ temperature was equally as variable as differences among species within microhabitats. Daily maximal body temperatures of barnacles placed on southerly facing vertical rock surfaces were on average 2.4°C cooler than those on horizontal rock. Likewise, daily maximal body temperatures of whelks were on average 3.1°C cooler within shallow rock pools than on horizontal rock. Our results provide new evidence that unique thermal properties and microhabitat preferences may be important determinants of species’ capacity to cope with climate change.
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Bean, Judith M., Gavin J. Melville, and Ronald B. Hacker. "Assessment of the potential of a range of microhabitats for use as seed production areas in moderately degraded rangelands in semiarid Australia." Rangeland Journal 39, no. 1 (2017): 49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj16095.
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Previous studies in mulga country with hard-setting red earth soils in north-west New South Wales, Australia, have demonstrated that small fenced seed production areas on local high points can contribute to regeneration of native perennial vegetation, and increases in the soil seedbank, on surrounding slopes. In this study the potential of seven microhabitats in this environment, each replicated twice, for use as seed production areas was assessed indirectly by a study of their functional characteristics and vegetation dynamics. Indices of landscape function (stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling) were determined for each of the 14 sites at the time of fencing and at the end of the study, over 2 years later, by determining the extent and surface characteristics of 53 surface types (in total) along three parallel transects within each site. Variation in establishment and survival of ground storey species among surface types was examined by co-ordination of all plants within belts centred on the line transects. At the start of the study landscape function indices for the ‘rocky ridge with rock outcrop’ microhabitat were not significantly higher than all, or some, other microhabitats. By the end of the study two of the three indices for this microhabitat were significantly higher than for all other microhabitats. This microhabitat also favoured the establishment and survival of the pastorally preferred species Monachather paradoxus Steud and Thyridolepis mitchelliana (Nees) S.T. Blake but did not favour establishment and survival of the pastorally unpreferred species Aristida jerichoensis (Domin) Henrad and Austrostipa variabilis (Hughes) S.W.L. Jacobs and J. Everett. This microhabitat was characterised by extensive areas of ‘water catchment’ surface types associated with in-situ rock outcrop, which facilitated the observed vegetation dynamics. This ‘rocky ridge with rock outcrop’ microhabitat occurs on local high points in the landscape and is readily recognised. It is therefore ideally suited for use as fenced seed production areas to assist rangeland regeneration.
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Poulin, Robert, and Gerard J. FitzGerald. "Risk of parasitism and microhabitat selection in juvenile sticklebacks." Canadian Journal of Zoology 67, no. 1 (January 1, 1989): 14–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z89-003.
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In laboratory experiments, we tested the following hypotheses: (i) that juvenile threespine (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and blackspotted (Gasterosteus wheatlandi) sticklebacks face higher risks of parasitism by the ectoparasite Argulus canadensis in shallow, vegetated microhabitats and (ii) that they can alter their microhabitat distribution in response to parasites. Reducing water depth increased the number of parasites per infected fish in G. aculeatus and increased the percentage of G. wheatlandi infected. For both species, intensity of infection and percentage of fish infected were greater among fish inhabiting vegetated microhabitats than among fish living in open microhabitats. In the absence of fish, A. canadensis swam near the bottom and in the vegetation. Fish of both species swam near the bottom in the absence of the parasites, but swam near the surface in the presence of parasites. Without parasites, both species of fish preferred to swim in vegetation. With parasites present, the spatial distribution of G. aculeatus changed only slightly, whereas G. wheatlandi became evenly distributed between open and vegetated microhabitats. These results suggest that microhabitat selection by juvenile sticklebacks may serve to reduce the risk of parasitism.
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Fávaro, Fernando de Lima, and Luiz dos Anjos. "Microhabitat de Habia rubica (Vieillot) e Trichothraupis melanops (Vieillot) (Aves, Emberizidae, Thraupinae), em uma floresta atlântica do sul do Brasil." Revista Brasileira de Zoologia 22, no. 1 (March 2005): 213–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s0101-81752005000100026.
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Este estudo identifica quais variáveis caracterizam os microhabitats de Habia rubica (Vieillot, 1817) e Trichothraups melanops (Vieillot, 1818) e verifica o padrão de abundância dessas espécies em relação aos parâmetros de microhabitat. Análise de componentes principais mostrou as variáveis de microhabitat mais importantes para cada espécie. O microhabitat de H. rubica foi caracterizado pelo estrato médio aberto e sub-bosque denso e rico em samambaias, arvoretas, herbáceas e cipós; esta espécie apresentou maior abundância nos locais ricos em tais variáveis. Para T. melanops, as variáveis mais importantes foram samambaias, arbustos, arvoretas, herbáceas, cipós, árvores de grande porte e quantidade de árvores com briófitas; a abundância desta espécie não foi relacionada com a densidade dessas variáveis talvez devido aos seus hábitos generalistas.
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Rodríguez Serrezuela, Ruthber, and Luis Alexander Carvajal Pinilla. "Ecological Determinants of Forest to the Abundance ofLutzomyia longiflocosain Tello, Colombia." International Journal of Ecology 2015 (2015): 1–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/580718.
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Lutzomyia longiflocosais considered the most likely vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the sub-Andean region of the upper valley of the Magdalena River between 1,000 and 2,000 meters in the Department of Huila, Colombia.L. longiflocosais anthropophilic, has endophagic behavior, and is especially important since its dominance in epidemics recorded in the last decade in the departments of Huila, Tolima, and the outbreak in Norte de Santander. The aim of our work is to identify ecological determinants in forest microhabitat level defining the abundance ofL. longiflocosa. We use sampling; this was performed in 56 microhabitats of 28 forests with CDC traps for two consecutive nights from 18:00 to 06:00 hours. Each microhabitat (favorable and unfavorable) was located 10 m from the ecotone, with an approximate area of 10 m2. Thirty-five variables were examined as potential explanatory variables which were recorded in each microhabitat. Regression models were used to identify ecological determinants. Our results confirm that there are favorable microhabitats in the forest with specific ecological determinants that define the aggregated distribution of the species and provide the conditions necessary for survival and abundance ofL. longiflocosa.
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Zhang, Zejun, Fuwen Wei, Ming Li, Baowei Zhang, Xuehua Liu, and Jinchu Hu. "Microhabitat separation during winter among sympatric giant pandas, red pandas, and tufted deer: the effects of diet, body size, and energy metabolism." Canadian Journal of Zoology 82, no. 9 (September 1, 2004): 1451–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z04-129.
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The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca (David, 1869)), red panda (Ailurus fulgens F.G. Cuvier, 1825), and tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus Milne-Edwards, 1872) are endemic to the Himalayan Hengduan Mountains; the red panda extends into India, Burma, Bhutan, and Nepal, and the tufted deer extends marginally into Burma, while the giant panda is endemic to China. In Sichuan Province, uniquely, all three species occur sympatrically. We investigated microhabitat characteristics at 150 fecal-group sites from November 2002 to March 2003 to improve understanding of microhabitat separation among the three species at the Fengtongzhai Nature Reserve, Baoxing County, Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China. Density and height of bamboo were greater in the giant and red pandas' micro habitats than in those of the tufted deer. The red panda preferred microhabitats with greater tree-stump density, smaller trees, and shorter fallen log dispersion distance than the other two species. Tufted deer often occurred at sites with greater shrub density and herb cover and more open land with poorer concealment conditions than sites where the two panda species occurred. Both pandas' microhabitats were mostly concentrated on the upper hillside, unlike those of the tufted deer. The giant panda preferred microhabitats with a gentler slope and lower density of fallen logs. Selection of specific microhabitats by each species is an ecological adaptation dependent on behavior linked to its diet, body size, energy metabolism, and other factors. Microhabitat separation among these species reflects the integrated effects of their differences in diet, body size, and energy metabolism, which could facilitate their successful coexistence.
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Larrieu, Laurent, and Alain Cabanettes. "Species, live status, and diameter are important tree features for diversity and abundance of tree microhabitats in subnatural montane beech–fir forests1This article is one of a selection of papers from the International Symposium on Dynamics and Ecological Services of Deadwood in Forest Ecosystems." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 42, no. 8 (August 2012): 1433–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x2012-077.
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Because quantitative data on the distribution of whole microhabitat sets are still lacking to indirectly assess taxonomic biodiversity in forests, we studied the distribution of seven key microhabitat types in 10 montane European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.) – silver fir ( Abies alba Mill.) forests (Pyrénées, France) that had not been harvested for several decades. We examined 2105 live trees and 526 snags. Frequencies of cavities and dendrothelms were significantly higher on live beech than on fir. Sap runs were strictly found on live fir. Frequencies of cracks and saproxylic fungi were significantly higher on snags than on live trees. Seventy percent of live beeches but only 18% of firs carried one or more microhabitats. For both beech and fir and for each microhabitat type, we found, using the recursive partitioning method, one to three diameter thresholds that each corresponded to a significant change in the probability of microhabitat presence. When considering the whole microhabitat set, the most significant diameter thresholds were 42, 60, 73, and 89 cm for beech and 99 cm for fir. We suggest that forest managers conserve (i) mixed stands and (ii) beech with a diameter at breast height >90 cm and fir >100 cm. These rules should be adapted for each forest ecosystem.
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Zimmermann, M., K. Luth, and G. Esch. "Microhabitat differences surrounding a pond affects the distribution of trematode parasites among a pulmonate snail community." Helminthologia 51, no. 4 (December 1, 2014): 301–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/s11687-014-0245-4.
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AbstractAnthropogenic disturbance associated with clear-cutting and changing the environmental landscape can lead to distinct microhabitat structure surrounding aquatic habitats. The transmission dynamics of trematode parasites in their snail first intermediate hosts were examined to determine if these alterations affect trematode parasite distribution. This was accomplished by examining 2,771 pulmonate snails belonging to two species (Physa gyrina and Lymnaea columella) over a three month period in a pond surrounded by distinct microhabitats as a result of anthropogenic changes to the environmental landscape. Trematode parasite distribution in the snail first intermediate hosts was largely tied to the microhabitat preference of their vertebrate definitive hosts. Autogenic species were found further away from the center of the open microhabitat and allogenic parasites were closer to the centralized point, most likely as a result of habitat preference by their frog and waterfowl definitive hosts, respectively. Additionally, there was increased parasitism in the molluscan hosts at the edges of the wooded environments due to habitat overlap of autogenic and allogenic species hosts, indicating that microhabitat structure can have profound effects on parasite distribution.
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Arbi, U. Y., and A. Faricha. "New host record of microhabitat preferences of the Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni) in the introduced habitat in Luwuk waters, Sulawesi." IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 944, no. 1 (December 1, 2021): 012018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/944/1/012018.
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Abstract Banggai cardinalfish Pterapogon kauderni is an endemic apogonid fish from Banggai Islands, Central Sulawesi, which is discovered in strong association with black sea urchin (Diadema spp.). These fish also protected themselves from predators associated with sea anemones, hard coral branching, mushroom coral, soft coral, seagrass, and mangrove roots. The Banggai cardinalfish juveniles generally prefer to associate with sea anemones or mushroom corals as microhabitats. However, they are looking for similar microhabitats if they cannot find sea anemones or mushroom coral Heliofungia actiniformis. Microhabitat observation of Banggai cardinalfish was carried out in Luwuk waters, Banggai Regency. The result showed a new host record for juvenile phases of Banggai cardinalfish associated with upside-down jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda as a microhabitat. Further study is needed to represent areas and seasons to get more evidence between the Banggai cardinalfish and jellyfish association concepts.
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Rennie, Michael D., and Leland J. Jackson. "The influence of habitat complexity on littoral invertebrate distributions: patterns differ in shallow prairie lakes with and without fish." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 62, no. 9 (September 1, 2005): 2088–99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f05-123.
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Relationships between littoral habitat complexity and invertebrate distributions in fishless lakes are not well understood compared with well-documented relationships in lakes with fish. We examined littoral invertebrate distributions over fine-scale gradients of weed-bed habitat complexity and contrasted these patterns in four shallow prairie lakes two with fish and two without. The above-sediment portion of submerged macrophytes and associated invertebrates was sampled from three littoral microhabitats: weed-bed centres (highly complex), weed-bed edges (moderately complex), and single plants that grew apart from distinct weed beds (least complex). Total invertebrate densities in fishless lakes did not differ between littoral microhabitats, nor were they correlated with macrophyte biomass. In contrast, total invertebrate densities in lakes with fish increased with microhabitat complexity and were positively correlated with macrophyte biomass. Weed-bed complexity also affected littoral invertebrate community structure; in all lakes, the proportion of filter-feeders decreased with increasing microhabitat complexity, but the proportion of predatory invertebrates was greater overall in fishless lakes than in lakes with fish. Our results demonstrate that small-scale variation in littoral microhabitat complexity can lead to specific patterns of invertebrate distribution that systematically differ between lakes with and without fish, and that these systematic differences may be mediated through top-down mechanisms.
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Cameron, Elyssa R., and Christopher M. Buddle. "Seasonal change and microhabitat association of Arctic spider assemblages (Arachnida: Araneae) on Victoria Island (Nunavut, Canada)." Canadian Entomologist 149, no. 3 (March 20, 2017): 357–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2017.6.
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AbstractArctic ecosystems are characterised by a mosaic of distinct microhabitats, which play a key role in structuring biodiversity. Understanding species diversity in relation to these microhabitats, and how communities are structured seasonally, is imperative to properly conserve, monitor, and manage northern biodiversity. Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) are dominant arthropod predators in the Arctic, yet the seasonal change in their communities in relation to microhabitat variation is relatively unknown. This research quantified how spider assemblages are structured seasonally and by microhabitat, near Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada. In 2014, spiders were collected in 240 pan and pitfall traps placed in common microhabitat types (two wet and two dry) from 3 July to 11 August, the active season in the high Arctic. In total, 10 353 spiders from 22 species and four families were collected. Non-metric multidimensional scaling ordinations revealed that spider assemblages from wet habitats were distinct from those occurring in drier habitats, but that differences within each of those habitats were not evident. Abundance and diversity was highest in wet habitats and differed significantly from dry habitats; both these variables decreased seasonally. Spider assemblages in the north are structured strongly along moisture gradients, and such data informs planning for future ecological monitoring in the Arctic.
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Goodman, Brett A. "Microhabitat separation and niche overlap among five assemblages of tropical skinks." Australian Journal of Zoology 55, no. 1 (2007): 15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo06066.
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The niche axes of microhabitat use, activity and size for 21 skink species from five assemblages (Alligator Creek, Cairns, Chillagoe, Cooktown and Mt Bartle Frere) in the biodiverse tropics of north-east Queensland were examined. Species within the same assemblage separated predominantly along two structural microhabitat gradients; one that ranged from microhabitats dominated by large rocks to leaf litter and total ground cover, and a second defined by increasing leaf litter, ground cover, undergrowth, proximity to vegetation and increased canopy cover. All species used available microhabitats non-randomly, with species from the same ecotype (arboreal, generalist, litter-dwelling, rock-using) clustering in multivariate ecological space. Despite evidence of within-assemblage niche overlap, null-model comparisons revealed that only one assemblage (Chillagoe) had greater niche overlap than would be expected by chance. Assemblages with more species occupied smaller niche space, indicating species packing. However, species with more diverse niches were less evenly packed. While most species overlapped in activity time and body size, differences among species from the same ecotype were observed. Despite subtle differences in temporal activity and body size, differences in structural microhabitat use appears to be the dominant niche axis allowing the coexistence of species within these assemblages of tropical skinks.
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Barrera, Roberto, Manuel Amador, Jose Ruiz-Valcárcel, and Veronica Acevedo. "Factors Modulating Captures of Gravid Aedes aegypti Females." Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 36, no. 2 (June 1, 2020): 66–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.2987/20-6931.1.
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ABSTRACT To improve detection and assessment of Aedes aegypti abundance, we investigated whether microhabitat factors of the location of autocidal gravid ovitraps (AGO traps) influenced captures of gravid females in 2 locations in southern Puerto Rico. One location had been under vector control for several years using mass AGO trapping (intervention site), where Ae. aegypti abundance was several times lower than in the other study site without mosquito control (nonintervention site). We observed 10 environmental factors describing trap microhabitat location, and monitored water volume and minimum, maximum, and average temperature in AGO traps. Air temperature, relative humidity, and rainfall were recorded at each site. We conducted a hot-spot analysis of AGO traps to understand whether trap captures were influenced by the local abundance of mosquitoes rather than or in addition to trap microhabitat factors. AGO traps were classified using a 2-step cluster analysis based on attributes of trap microhabitats, water temperature, and water volume. Captures of female Ae. aegypti in each cluster per site were compared between resulting clusters to determine whether trap microhabitat factors defining the clusters were associated with trap captures. Trap captures in both study sites were mostly correlated with captures in nearby traps regardless of trap microhabitat factors, possibly reflecting the influence of the spatial aggregation of mosquitoes coming from nearby aquatic habitats or the concentration of dispersing adults. These results indicated that AGO traps can be located at places that can be easily reached during periodic inspections, such as in front of houses, without much regard to local microhabitat conditions.
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Medeiros, Paulo Roberto de, Ana Luisa Pires Moreira, and Ana Maria Alves de Medeiros. "Local variations in microhabitat use by Stegastes fuscus (Cuvier, 1830) (Teleostei: Pomacentridae) in a tropical reef of Brazil." Brazilian Journal of Biological Sciences 3, no. 6 (2016): 375–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.21472/bjbs.030613.
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Due to their widespread abundance and territorial habits, damselfishes play central roles in reefs worldwide, but the extent to which they modify the reef's substrate varies both amongst and within species. The present study evaluated microhabitat preferences and the role of the common damselfish Stegastes fuscus (Cuvier, 1830) (Teleostei: Pomacentridae) as a benthic community modifier in a tropical algal-dominated reef. We employed video survey techniques to assess fish density and microhabitat use and, additionally, the biomass of sessile components were compared inside and immediately outside algal farms of S. fuscus. Individuals showed pronounced microhabitat preference, but with prominent local (i.e. small-scale) variations in benthic cover. These local variations are reported for the first time and were due to individuals defending one of two contrasting microhabitats (i.e. turf-dominated or Palythoa caribaeorum-dominated). Further, significant differences in the biomass of sessile organisms were observed within algal farms suggesting that S. fuscus plays a keystone role in the benthic community of the reef. The implications of the prominent local variation in microhabitat use are discussed and strongly illustrate the behavioral plasticity of this damselfish.
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Morris, Timothy, Christopher E. Gordon, and Mike Letnic. "Divergent foraging behaviour of a desert rodent, Notomys fuscus, in covered and open microhabitats revealed using giving up densities and video analysis." Australian Mammalogy 37, no. 1 (2015): 46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am14030.
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We used a combination of giving up densities (GUD) and behavioural analysis from video footage to test the response of an Australian desert rodent, Notomys fuscus, to the experimental provision of cover microhabitat in the Strzelecki Desert, Australia. In many ecosystems, cover microhabitats are considered to be safe foraging locations for rodents. The response of bipedal desert rodents to cover microhabitats is less certain, with varied findings, due to their use of open habitats for fast travel. Notomys fuscus returned lower GUDs in cover than in open microhabitats and moved slowly for a greater amount of time under cover than in the open. These results suggest that N. fuscus has a preference for foraging under cover, where predation risk is lower, and under these conditions took longer to assess the cover microhabitat before foraging. This was distinctly different to the ‘get in, get out’ behaviour associated with foraging in open habitats. We advocate for the combined measurement of GUD and behavioural analysis using video footage as a way to improve understanding of rodents’ foraging behaviour.
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Hetko, Dominika, Małgorzata Witak, and Sandra Oliwa. "Biodiversity of the benthic diatom flora in the coastal zone of the Gulf of Gdańsk: a case study of the Gdynia–Sopot transect." Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies 51, no. 2 (June 30, 2022): 224–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.26881/oandhs-2022.2.10.
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The objective of this study is to determine microhabitat preferences of benthic species occurring in epilithic (living on stones), epipsammic (growing on sand), epipelic (growing on mud) and epiphytic (living on seagrass) assemblages of the shallows of the Gulf of Gdańsk (southern Baltic Sea). The study material was collected from 19 sites along the Gdynia–Sopot coastal zone, including the Port of Gdynia. Most of the identified diatom taxa were observed in two or three microhabitats. However, diatom species living in only one type of microhabitat and those occurring in all analyzed microhabitats were also recorded. Autecological preferences of the identified diatoms indicate organic pollution of the coastal zone of Gdynia and Sopot. However, a higher frequency of α-mesosaprobionts and polysaprobionts indicates an increase in organic pollution in the Port of Gdynia and Marina Sopot, which is associated with intense port activity and large tourist traffic.
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Downes, C. M., J. B. Theberge, and S. M. Smith. "The influence of insects on the distribution, microhabitat choice, and behaviour of the Burwash caribou herd." Canadian Journal of Zoology 64, no. 3 (March 1, 1986): 622–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z86-092.
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This study examined the influence of insects (mosquitoes and oestrids) on the distribution, microhabitat choice, and behavior of a population of mountain caribou. The study was conducted in the Burwash area of southwestern Yukon Territory during the summers of 1982 and 1983. Mosquito density, the presence or absence of oestrids, and the distribution, microhabitat use, and insect-avoidance behavior of the caribou were observed. Seasonal activity budgets for caribou were calculated. Mosquitoes became active in mid-June. Activity decreased with altitude, and at the highest altitudes (2000 m) the number of mosquitoes was negligible. Snow patches and exposed windy ridges had fewer mosquitoes than did open tundra. The oestrid season began in late June and lasted until early August. Oestrids were widespread throughout the study area and were present in all microhabitats. Caribou reduced harassment by mosquitoes by their altitudinal movements and use of microhabitat. Oestrids influenced activity budgets of caribou, acting to decrease feeding and resting time and to increase the time spent standing and moving.
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Haythornthwaite, Adele S. "Microhabitat use and foraging behaviour of Sminthopsis youngsoni (Marsupialia:Dasyuridae) in arid central Australia." Wildlife Research 32, no. 7 (2005): 609. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr04126.
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In this study, fluorescent pigment tracking was used to determine the microhabitat use and foraging behaviour of a small insectivorous marsupial, Sminthopsis youngsoni (the lesser hairy-footed dunnart), in the dunefields of the Simpson Desert, south-western Queensland. In total, 25 successful trails were traced over the duration of this study, between March 1996 and April 1998. Nocturnal foraging trails were identified, then the distance travelled by the dunnart through each microhabitat type (nine in all) was measured and accumulated for each trail and compared with surrounding available microhabitats along control trails. This provided an index of selectivity of microhabitat use. Terrestrial invertebrates were collected from both actual and control trails to measure food availability. Dunnarts strongly selected open microhabitats when foraging, with the periphery of spinifex hummocks (up to 20 cm from the edge of a spinifex hummock) being favoured. Spinifex itself was avoided unless shelter was sought (i.e. immediately after release). Potential invertebrate prey captured along the actual trails travelled by dunnarts tended to occur in greater numbers and were larger than those captured along the control trails, indicating that dunnarts can accurately locate resource-rich areas in which to forage. Clearly, the foraging strategies used by this species enable it to successfully exploit patchy and unpredictable food resources, thereby ensuring its continued persistence and relative abundance in an unstable environment.
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Cooley, Shane M., and Ronald G. Oldfield. "Microhabitat partitioning is driven by preferences, not competition, in two Costa Rican millipede species." Journal of Tropical Ecology 37, no. 5 (September 2021): 235–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467421000365.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractThe co-occurrence of similar species in a particular environment may be facilitated if they specialise on different microhabitats, reducing competition between them. In some cases, two species prefer the same microhabitat, but one is competitively excluded to its harsh margins. In this study, we assessed microhabitat preferences and competition between two species of millipedes in Costa Rica. (1) We observed them in the wild and found Nyssodesmus python most often on wood, less often on leaves, and rarely on rocks. Spirobolida was found most often on leaves, less often on wood, and never on rocks. (2) We tested their preferences in the lab and found that N. python preferred wood to rocks, wood to leaves, and rocks to leaves. Spirobolida preferred leaves to rocks, leaves to wood, and wood to rocks. (3) We tested interference competition by placing both species together in an arena in which they both had the same preference (wood vs. rocks). Both species chose to cohabitate in the same wood, indicating that one species did not directly exclude the other. In N. python and Spirobolida, co-occurrence is facilitated by differences in microhabitat preferences and not because competition forces one species out of its preferred microhabitat.