Revisiting the diversity paradox: does intraspecific ecological variation facilitate species coexistence?

• Grant number: 14/20924-5
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): January 01, 2015
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Cooperation agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal researcher: Márcio Silva Araújo
• Grantee: Raul Costa Pereira
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 17/20069-6 - The dimensionality of individual niche variation in coexisting species, BE.EP.DR 16/09038-9 - Rebuilding community ecology from individuals: Consequences of intraspecific ecological diversity on species coexistence and community assembly, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Although having intrigued ecologists for more than half a century, the coexistence of species is still strongly debated in community ecology. The diversity paradox is based on the contrast between the huge number of species coexisting in nature versus the small number predicted by competition theories. Classical models suggest that species must be sufficiently different to coexist, but in nature species with very similar niches are found coexisting. Two theoretical approaches have tried to address this issue: while niche theory emphasizes the differences between species, neutral theory assumes interspecific ecological equivalence. Albeit distinct, both approaches assume ecological equivalence between individuals, in stark contrast with the numerous examples of intraspecific ecological variation in natural populations. In this project, we aim to understand the role of intraspecific variation in species coexistence through a framework that integrates: a) the relationship between the degree of intraspecific variation and the local species richness of natural communities and b) the magnitude of intra vs. interspecific competition. Additionally, we will investigate the relative importance of several ecological mechanisms (functional trade-offs, intra and interspecific competition, ecological opportunity and local productivity) in determining the degree of individual specialization in natural populations. Our model system will be composed of three ecologically similar species of anurans, whose trophic niche and degree of intraspecific ecological variation will be quantified along a gradient of communities differing in species richness. The magnitude of intra vs. interspecific competition will be measured through a field experiment. (AU)

Scientific publications

(12)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

COSTA-PEREIRA, RAUL; TOSCANO, BENJAMIN; SOUZA, FRANCO L.; INGRAM, TRAVIS; ARAUJO, MARCIO S. Individual niche trajectories drive fitness variation. FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, v. 33, n. 9 JULY 2019. Web of Science Citations: 0.

COSTA-PEREIRA, RAUL; ARAUJO, MARCIO S.; SOUZA, FRANCO L.; INGRAM, TRAVIS. Competition and resource breadth shape niche variation and overlap in multiple trophic dimensions. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, v. 286, n. 1902 MAY 1 2019. Web of Science Citations: 2.

COSTA-PEREIRA, RAUL; ARAUJO, MARCIO SILVA; OLIVIER, RENAN DA SILVA; SOUZA, FRANCO L.; RUDOLF, VOLKER H. W. Prey Limitation Drives Variation in Allometric Scaling of Predator-Prey Interactions. American Naturalist, v. 192, n. 4, p. E139-E149, OCT 2018. Web of Science Citations: 10.

COSTA-PEREIRA, RAUL; RUDOLF, VOLKER H. W.; SOUZA, FRANCO L.; ARAUJO, MARCIO S. Drivers of individual niche variation in coexisting species. Journal of Animal Ecology, v. 87, n. 5, p. 1452-1464, SEP 2018. Web of Science Citations: 10.

MARTINS, CLARISSA ARAUJO; SILVEIRA, MAURICIO; SAITO, VICTOR S.; COSTA-PEREIRA, RAUL; MOREIRA SUGAI, LARISSA SAYURI; PAYS, OLIVIER; ROQUE, FABIO DE OLIVEIRA. Phylogenetic structure of communities between temperate and tropical regions: Exploring patterns through literature datasets. ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, v. 91, p. 30-34, AUG 2018. Web of Science Citations: 1.

COSTA-PEREIRA, RAUL; CORREA, SANDRA BIBIANA; GALETTI, MAURO. Fishing-down within populations harms seed dispersal mutualism. Biotropica, v. 50, n. 2, p. 319-325, MAR 2018. Web of Science Citations: 0.

INGRAM, TRAVIS; COSTA-PEREIRA, RAUL; ARAUJO, MARCIO S. The dimensionality of individual niche variation. ECOLOGY, v. 99, n. 3, p. 536-549, MAR 2018. Web of Science Citations: 9.

COSTA-PEREIRA, RAUL; TAVARES, LUIZ E. R.; DE CAMARGO, PLINLO BARBOSA; ARAUJO, MARCIO S. Seasonal population and individual niche dynamics in a tetra fish in the Pantanal wetlands. Biotropica, v. 49, n. 4, p. 531-538, JUL 2017. Web of Science Citations: 11.

COSTA-PEREIRA, RAUL. An overview on the effects of fish consumption on seed germination: Pitfalls, challenges, and directions. Aquatic Botany, v. 140, p. 34-37, MAY 2017. Web of Science Citations: 1.

ROQUE, FABIO O.; OCHOA-QUINTERO, JOSE; RIBEIRO, DANILO B.; SUGAI, LARISSA S. M.; COSTA-PEREIRA, RAUL; LOURIVAL, REINALDO; BINO, GILAD. Upland habitat loss as a threat to Pantanal wetlands. Conservation Biology, v. 30, n. 5, p. 1131-1134, OCT 2016. Web of Science Citations: 10.

CASILLAS-BARRAGAN, ISABEL; COSTA-PEREIRA, RAUL; CARDOSO PEIXOTO, PAULO ENRIQUE. Perceived predation risk decreases movement and increases aggregation of Amazon milk frog (Anura, Hylidae) tadpoles throughout ontogeny. Hydrobiologia, v. 765, n. 1, p. 379-386, FEB 2016. Web of Science Citations: 1.

COSTA-PEREIRA, RAUL; SEVERO-NETO, FRANCISCO; INFORZATO, IGOR; LAPS, RUDI RICARDO; PIZO, MARCO AURELIO. Nutrients Drive Termite Nest Geophagy in Yellow-chevroned Parakeets (Brotogeris chiriri). Wilson Journal of Ornithology, v. 127, n. 3, p. 506-510, SEP 2015. Web of Science Citations: 5.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

. Individual niche variation in coexisting species. 2018. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Biociências. Rio Claro Rio Claro.