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- Title
Do the evolutionary interactions between moths and bats promote niche partitioning between bats and birds?
- Authors
Bullington, Lorinda S.; Seidensticker, Mathew T.; Schwab, Nathan; Ramsey, Philip W.; Stone, Kate
- Abstract
Ecological theory suggests that the coexistence of species is promoted by the partitioning of available resources, as in dietary niche partitioning where predators partition prey. Yet, the mechanisms underlying dietary niche partitioning are not always clear. We used fecal DNA metabarcoding to investigate the diets of seven nocturnal insectivorous bird and bat species. Low diet overlap (2%–22%) supported resource partitioning among all species. Differences in diet corresponded with species identity, prey detection method, and foraging behavior of predators. Insects with ultrasonic hearing capabilities were consumed significantly more often by birds than bats, consistent with an evolved avoidance of echolocating strategies. In turn, bats consumed a greater proportion of noneared insects such as spruce budworms. Overall, our results suggest that evolutionary interactions among bats and moths translate to dietary niche partitioning and coexistence among bats and nocturnal birds.
- Subjects
BATS; COEXISTENCE of species; MOTHS; NOCTURNAL birds; FORAGING behavior; PREDATION
- Publication
Ecology & Evolution (20457758), 2021, Vol 11, Issue 23, p17160
- ISSN
2045-7758
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/ece3.8355