Food Webs最新文献

{"title":"Avoiding the enemy while searching for dinner: Understanding the temporal niche of the threatened clouded tiger-cat in protected cloud forests of the Middle Cauca, Colombia","authors":"Juan Camilo Cepeda-Duque ,&nbsp;Eduven Arango-Correa ,&nbsp;Valentina López-Velasco ,&nbsp;Alex López-Barrera ,&nbsp;Andrés Link ,&nbsp;Diego J. Lizcano ,&nbsp;Luis Mazariegos ,&nbsp;Uriel Rendon-Jaramillo ,&nbsp;Tadeu G. de Oliveira","doi":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00385","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00385","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Small carnivore activity is usually constrained by multiple factors, including moonlight, rainfall seasonality, intraguild relationships, and availability of prey. This study aimed to analyze the effects of such factors on the activity of clouded tiger-cats (<em>Leopardus pardinoides</em>). Data (time-stamp detections) were collected via 58 camera traps in three protected cloud forests of the Middle Cauca, Colombia. Differences in activity among seasons and species were tested using Watson-two-tests. The temporal overlap between clouded tiger-cats and their intraguild predators/competitors and prey was estimated using kernel density functions. All species were seasonally invariant in their activities. Clouded tiger-cats were mainly nocturnal and lunarphobic. There was high temporal overlap (80 %) between the daily activity of clouded tiger-cats and small mammals, which increased during the nocturnal activity (92 %). Contrastingly, low temporal overlap was found between clouded tiger-cats and tayras (19 %), weasels (19 %), and dogs (20 %). Ocelots were cathemeral and showed a moderate temporal overlap (65 %) with the daily activity of clouded tiger-cats. However, temporal overlap between the nocturnal activity of both felids was found to be higher (81 %). Nocturnal behavior in clouded tiger-cats can favor prey encounters during darker nights while avoiding diurnal predators/competitors. The evidence of diurnal activity in domestic dogs could be indicative of a free-roaming population that rely on human subsides in the surroundings of protected areas, suggesting the need for management actions. Competitive pressures exerted by ocelots on clouded tiger-cats may be alleviated through the differential use of space, or by the apparent rarity of the former in highland cloud forests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38084,"journal":{"name":"Food Webs","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article e00385"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143138398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beyond the Bites: Rethinking seed-dispersal networks in plant-frugivore studies","authors":"Wesley Dáttilo","doi":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00384","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00384","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, the use of ecological networks to understand the roles of species in plant-frugivore relationships and their evolutionary significance has increased significantly. However, the accuracy of these networks can vary based on construction methods, and there is limited discussion about the true functional roles of species. In this review, I critically evaluate the methodologies and approaches used in 65 studies to construct seed dispersal networks, with a focus on distinguishing between frugivory and effective seed dispersal. In general, I found that most of the studies built the interaction networks based on direct observations of animals eating seeds/fruits (n = 23 studies, 35.38%) and by sampling of scats (n = 18, 27.69%). Data from datasets and by using complementary methods (e.g., DNA-barcoding) accounted for 33.85% (n = 22 studies). Surprisingly, only two studies (3.08%) confirmed seed viability (i.e., if the viability of the dispersed seeds were experimentally confirmed or the microhabitat where the scat had been dropped). This highlights a critical issue: many studies fail to assess all stages of the seed dispersal process (i.e., seed consumption, transport, deposition, and germination). The potential misapplication of the term “seed-dispersal networks” could lead to significant misunderstandings about the true functionality and coevolutionary dynamics of these interactions. Consequently, I advocate for more rigorous methodologies and detailed discussions to improve accuracy about the true functional roles of species within these networks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38084,"journal":{"name":"Food Webs","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article e00384"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143137887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring co-evolutionary processes in ant-plant mutualism networks: Evidence from a phylogenetic analysis","authors":"Maria Gómez-Lazaga ,&nbsp;Mariana Cuautle ,&nbsp;Jorge E. Valenzuela-Gónzalez ,&nbsp;Miguel Vásquez-Bolaños ,&nbsp;Alejandro Espinosa de los Monteros","doi":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00383","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00383","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of phylogenetic data in studying mutualistic interactions offers insights into the underlying patterns of interaction networks. Coevolution between interacting groups is expected to result in congruent phylogenetic patterns. Phylogenetic signal analysis, which assesses the similarity of network properties among closely related species in the phylogeny, can help uncover these patterns. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the evolutionary pattern in the ant-plant interaction network at Flor del Bosque State Park, Puebla. We used phylogenies for both ant and plant species involved in the interactions for conducting phylogenetic signal analyses. The analyses suggest that the phylogenetic signal in the ant-plant interaction network is low and not significant. However, despite having a low phylogenetic signal value, the morphological trait of head length exhibited statistical significance. Such low phylogenetic signal might be attributed to the recent establishment of the ecological interactions between plants and ants, as well as the generalist and opportunistic nature of the ant species. Furthermore, other factors such as anthropogenic transformation, ecological traits and abiotic elements are likely influencing the ant-plant interactions in Flor del Bosque.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38084,"journal":{"name":"Food Webs","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article e00383"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143138399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predator-prey reversal between a venomous snake, Bitis caudalis, and an insectivorous skink, Trachylepis margaritifera","authors":"Andrew Hart ,&nbsp;Francois Theart ,&nbsp;Philipp Berg","doi":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00382","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00382","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Predator–prey relationships are a central element of ecological community dynamics. The classification of a species as either predator or prey may change, especially when considering all life stages. Skinks account for about a quarter of the world's lizard species, but knowledge about the ecology of many species remains limited. Due to their species richness and abundance, they occupy a major role in trophic networks as prey and predators, feeding primarily on invertebrates. In this report we document an unusual case of predation by an adult skink <em>Trachylepis margaritifera</em> on a juvenile viperid snake <em>Bitis caudalis</em> in South Africa. Our observation raises the question of whether the prey spectrum and role of <em>Trachylepis</em> species in food webs may have been underestimated and which factors influence foraging behaviour and prey choice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38084,"journal":{"name":"Food Webs","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00382"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Can omnivory explain variation in size-density relationships? The case of Leptonema in a neotropical stream","authors":"Vinicius A. Robert ,&nbsp;José L.S. Mello ,&nbsp;Erika M. Shimabukuro ,&nbsp;Victor S. Saito","doi":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00381","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00381","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Community size structure potentially depicts the constant amount of small abundant organisms sustaining larger, rarer ones. Strong size structuring is expected under a constant predator-prey mass ratio yet omnivory, as defined by organisms feeding at multiple trophic levels, can disrupt this pattern. Here, we investigated the size structure of macroinvertebrate communities in two tropical streams before and after a heavy rain event. We found that one taxon, <em>Leptonema</em> (a net-spinning caddisfly), was overabundant at all sites, strongly deviating from the allometric expectation given their body size. By analyzing their gut-content, we found evidence of true omnivory with inclusion of animal prey with increasing body size. As omnivory is a key factor in ecosystem stability, the presence of overabundant species could be an important element to consider when implementing conservation and restoration policies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38084,"journal":{"name":"Food Webs","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00381"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142747784","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Not armoured enough: The black-and-white tegu Salvator merianae (Squamata: Teiidae) as a predator of armadillos (Cingulata)","authors":"Augusto N. Carvalho ,&nbsp;Bruno L. de S. Bambirra ,&nbsp;Leonardo B. Passalacqua ,&nbsp;Filipe C. Serrano","doi":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00380","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00380","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reporting predation events is crucial to understand how species behaviour and predator-prey interactions shape food webs. However, data is still lacking for most neotropical fauna, especially reptiles. <em>Salvator merianae</em> is a widespread lizard species, which is often found in human-altered habitats and has been introduced in multiple locations. This Neotropical lizard is omnivorous and acts as a necrophagous, seed disperser and predator of small-sized animals. However, in spite of extensive data on its generalist diet, detailed predation records over medium-sized vertebrates (between 1 and 40 kg) are scarce. Here we report the first records of <em>S. merianae</em> predation on three distinct armadillo species, all of which occurred in human-altered habitats in Brazil and Argentina. Our records contribute to a better understanding of trophic interactions in modified landscapes and how large reptiles, such as <em>S. merianae,</em> may play an important role in food webs in the absence of larger predators.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38084,"journal":{"name":"Food Webs","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00380"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142698520","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Littoral resources, food chain length and top predator size - Are these connected with lake size?","authors":"Paula Kankaala ,&nbsp;Kimmo K. Kahilainen ,&nbsp;Mikko Olin ,&nbsp;Antti J. Rissanen","doi":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00379","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00379","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The size of a lake ecosystem sets many direct and indirect physical limits for habitats available for different food web compartments as well as the taxa inhabiting these. We tested the hypotheses that 1) reliance of fish on littoral resources increase in lakes with shoreline development, and 2) food chain length and 3) top predator size increase with lake size. We analyzed food web trophic structure, based on stable isotope analyses (SIA) of carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N), in six boreal lakes in southern and eastern Finland (area 0.13–567 km²). We also applied data from gillnet monitoring of two common predatory fish, perch (<em>Perca fluviatilis</em>) and pike (<em>Esox lucius</em>), in &gt;100 lakes as well as data from national large pike (weight &gt; 10 kg) competition. Our results based on SIA did not support the first two hypotheses. Mixing-model results indicated great contribution of littoral resources for many fish, however, showing considerable within-taxa variation for some species. Fish reliance on littoral resources was not directly related to lake shoreline development. The lakes had four trophic levels and large predators coupled both littoral and pelagic habitats. The very rare freshwater pinniped, Saimaa ringed seal (<em>Pusa hispida saimensis</em>), shared the same trophic position with piscivorous fish. However, we found some support for the third hypothesis. The maximum size of perch was positively correlated with lake size, and the majority (88 %) of very large pikes (&gt;10 kg) were caught from lakes with the area &gt; 1 km², indicating habitat size importance for large predators.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38084,"journal":{"name":"Food Webs","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00379"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142698521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prey-carrying behavior of Lycalopex foxes in Chilean Patagonia","authors":"Javier A. Simonetti ,&nbsp;Ana Paola Yusti-Muñoz ,&nbsp;Matías N. González-Herrera ,&nbsp;Ignacio Delgado Salinas ,&nbsp;Darío Moreira-Arce","doi":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00378","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00378","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines prey-carrying behavior in culpeo (<em>Lycalopex culpaeus</em>) and chilla (<em>L. griseus</em>) foxes within Chilean Patagonia's sheep farming lands. We used camera traps to register prey transportation. This behavior was more frequent during the reproductive season compared to the non-reproductive season, suggesting an association with pup-rearing activities. The presence of livestock guardian dogs and other predation control measures may also influence prey-carrying behavior, particularly in L. <em>culpaeus,</em> as foxes might adjust their activities in response to perceived risks. This research provides initial evidence of prey transport in these fox species and highlights the need for further study to understand its ecological implications and interactions with livestock management practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38084,"journal":{"name":"Food Webs","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00378"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142654631","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prey availability and diet composition of the Grey plover (Pluvialis squatarola) during migration on the South-Western Black Sea coast, Bulgaria","authors":"Liliana V. Vassileva ,&nbsp;Lyudmila Lozanova ,&nbsp;Martin P. Marinov ,&nbsp;Jérôme Morinière ,&nbsp;Boyko Neov ,&nbsp;Boris P. Nikolov ,&nbsp;Nikolay Simov ,&nbsp;Stefania Klayn","doi":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00373","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00373","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Migratory waders use stopover sites to refuel for the next stages of their migration, relying on seasonally abundant prey. Migration success depends on food quality and availability at these key sites. We studied the diet composition and preferences of the Grey Plover (<em>Pluvialis squatarola</em>) at its migration stopover at Pomorie Lake on the South-Western Black Sea coast, Bulgaria through DNA metabarcoding of faeces collected in autumn 2020 and spring 2021. Prey availability samples were also collected from the surf zone and the supralittoral sandy shore habitats in the study area.</div><div>Grey Plover had a broad diet spectrum, with 332 prey taxa in total identified by metabarcoding. Both terrestrial and marine taxa were found, suggesting that the birds use multiple coastal habitats for foraging. Terrestrial arthropods, particularly insects, predominated in the Grey Plover diet; mytilid bivalves were the most represented marine taxon. The birds had a generalist feeding strategy, with diverse prey items eaten in small quantities. Most Grey Plovers fed on insects (Diptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera), but some individuals showed specialisation for other taxa (mussels, spiders, polychaetes). The most abundant potential prey in the environment were not the most frequently consumed, but it is possible the prey sampling failed to capture the whole spectrum of available prey due to methodological limitations.</div><div>We found no significant seasonal variation in Grey Plover diet composition, but the proportions of some prey taxa in the diet changed slightly, probably reflecting seasonal differences in their abundance and activity in coastal habitats.</div><div>Our results contribute to the knowledge of Grey Plover diet, prey choice and habitat use in a little-studied region, and could help design effective conservation measures to preserve habitat quality at stopover sites for this wader and others with similar ecology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38084,"journal":{"name":"Food Webs","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00373"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142654632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Joining to the web. Predation of Heterophrynus sp. (Amblypygi: Phrynidae) on a catfish Astroblepus sp. (Siluriformes: Astroblepidae), in a premontane river of the northern Andes of Colombia","authors":"Julián A. Rojas-Morales ,&nbsp;Jose J. Henao-Osorio ,&nbsp;Didier Álvarez López ,&nbsp;Néstor Sánchez-Guillén","doi":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00377","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00377","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Riparian food webs are linked by cross-boundary resource fluxes, including the consumption of terrestrial invertebrates and vertebrates by fish and the consumption of aquatic vertebrates by terrestrial invertebrates, mostly arachnids. Amblypygids prey upon a wide array of vertebrates, but no records on fishes are known. Here we report an interesting predation event of an adult <em>Heterophrynus</em> sp., upon a catfish <em>Astroblepus</em> sp. in the Rio Manso, northern Andes of Colombia, and summarized the published information of trophic interactions of this river in a food web framework. A high prey-size ratio (0.87) respect to <em>Heterophrynus</em> sp., highlight that fishes could represent an important food item for amblypygids. This datum, besides other published before, indicates that the consumption of terrestrial and aquatic vertebrates by terrestrial invertebrates can be a substantial cross-boundary flux link in tropical montane streams deserving future ecological studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38084,"journal":{"name":"Food Webs","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00377"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142654207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}