Search results for "interspecific interactions"

Warming-related shifts in the distribution of two competing coastal wrasses

2016

13 páginas, 5 figuras , 1 tabla, 1 apéndice con tres tablas y una figura

Occupation of wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix nests by Myrmica and Lasius ants

2018

Bird nests can provide habitats for various invertebrates, including ectoparasites, scavengers, and predators. Records of ants associating with active bird nests mostly involve the insects searching for food, with some exceptional records of ants raising their broods (eggs, larvae or pupae) within songbird nests in nest-boxes or tree cavities. We present data for a previously undocumented, but apparently regular, occurrence of ants and their broods within the active nests of a songbird, the wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix (Bechstein, 1793), which builds domed nests on the ground in European forests. Systematic recording found ants, mostly Myrmica ruginodis Nylander, 1846, in 43% of 80 …

Under my wing: lesser kestrels and jackdaws derive reciprocal benefits in mixed-species colonies

2011

In mixed-species assemblages, antipredator benefits for a timid species nesting close to a more pugnacious one are often reported. Advantages for the protected species are usually manifested in terms of higher reproductive success than conspecifics nesting remote to the protector species. Whether the protector species also accrues any benefit remains untested, and the species-specific behavioral traits underlying enhanced reproductive output in mixed-species associations remain poorly documented. We studied associations between lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni) and jackdaws (Corvus monedula) nesting in rural buildings in the Gela Plain (Italy). We tested for interspecific interactions of jac…

Interspecific attraction between ground-nesting songbirds and ants: the role of nest-site selection

2021

Abstract Background Interspecific interactions within ecological networks can influence animal fitness and behaviour, including nest-site selection of birds and ants. Previous studies revealed that nesting birds and ants may benefit from cohabitation, with interspecific attraction through their nest-site choice, but mutual interactions have not yet been tested. We explored a previously undescribed ecological link between ground-nesting birds and ants raising their own broods (larvae and pupae) within the birds’ nests in a temperate primeval forest of lowland Europe. We tested whether the occurrence of ant broods within bird nests resulted from a mutual or one-sided interspecific attraction …

Role of interspecific interactions in biological invasions: new evidence from the Mediterranean Sea

Despite the field of invasion ecology has rapidly grown, the mechanisms behind the invasion success of alien species and the biotic resistance to invasions still need a thorough understanding. Comprehending the response of resident assemblages to biological invasions and the possible impacts produced by alien species introduction is, therefore, crucial to expand the current knowledge of the invasion process in the recipient systems. In this thesis different aspects of biological invasion process have been critically examined emphasizing the importance and complexity of the interactions between alien species and native biota, in the Mediterranean marine coastal ecosystems. Here, five differe…

Species-specific song convergence in a moving hybrid zone between two passerines

2003

International audience; Moving hybrid zones are receiving increasing attention. However, so far little is known about the proximate mechanisms underlying these movements. Signalling behaviour, by individuals engaged in interspecific sexual and aggressive interactions, may play a crucial role. In this study, we investigated song variation within a moving hybrid zone between two warblers, Hippolais polyglotta and H. icterina . In these species, song is involved in interspecific territoriality and, probably, in mixed pairings. We showed that allopatric populations of the two species are clearly acoustically differentiated. However, interspecific differences faded out in sympatry as a result of…

Interactions and patterns between species diversity and genetic diversity

2015

Artificial selection of microbial communities: the effect of diversity and the role of interspecific interactions

2021

In agriculture, the plants and animals that are bred come from long-term artificial selection procedures that aim at producing individuals with desirable traits. Such procedures can be applied at levels of biological organization higher than the individual such as the community level, which is of particular interest in the field of microbial community engineering. Indeed, microbial communities play key roles in agriculture but also in the environment, health and industry, and a growing body of literature shows promising results regarding the artificial selection of microbial communities for desirable functions. However, for artificial selection procedures at the community level to be effici…

Data from: I smell where you walked – how chemical cues influence movement decisions in ants

2016

Interactions between animals are not restricted to direct encounters. Frequently, individuals detect the proximity of others through cues unintentionally left by others, such as prey species assessing predation risk based on indirect predator cues. However, while the importance of indirect cues in predator–prey interactions has been intensely studied, their role in interactions among competitors, and their consequences for community structure, are little known to date. Ant communities are usually structured by aggressive interactions between competing species. Responding to cues of others should be useful to avoid competitors or discover food sources. In ants and other insects, such cues in…