Local Segregation of Realised Niches in Lizards

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2020

Authors

sillero, n (Author) FCUP; Argana, E (Author) Other; Matos, C (Author) Other; Franch, M (Author) Other; Kaliontzopoulou, A (Author) Other; carretero, ma (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information

Vol. 9

Final page: 764

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 1 Citation

Scopus - 1 Citation

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00T-6XS

DOI: 10.3390/ijgi9120764

Abstract (EN): Species can occupy different realised niches when sharing the space with other congeneric species or when living in allopatry. Ecological niche models are powerful tools to analyse species niches and their changes over time and space. Analysing how species' realised niches shift is paramount in ecology. Here, we examine the ecological realised niche of three species of wall lizards in six study areas: three areas where each species occurs alone; and three areas where they occur together in pairs. We compared the species' realised niches and how they vary depending on species' coexistence, by quantifying niche overlap between pairs of species or populations with the R package ecospat. For this, we considered three environmental variables (temperature, humidity, and wind speed) recorded at each lizard re-sighting location. Realised niches were very similar when comparing syntopic species occurring in the same study area. However, realised niches differed when comparing conspecific populations across areas. In each of the three areas of syntopy, the less abundant species shift its realised niche. Our study demonstrates that sympatry may shift species' realised niche.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 15