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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Convergent structure of multitrophic communities over three continents

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Author(s):
Segar, Simon T. [1, 2] ; Pereira, Rodrigo A. S. [3] ; Compton, Steve G. [4, 5] ; Cook, James M. [1, 6]
Total Authors: 4
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Reading, Sch Biol Sci, Reading RG6 6AS, Berks - England
[2] Univ South Bohemia, Fac Sci, Ceske Budejovice 37005 - Czech Republic
[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Biol, FFCLRP, BR-14040901 Ribeirao Preto - Brazil
[4] Rhodes Univ, Dept Zool & Entomol, ZA-6140 Grahamstown - South Africa
[5] Univ Leeds, Sch Biol, Leeds LS2 9JT, W Yorkshire - England
[6] Univ Western Sydney, Hawkesbury Inst Environm, Penrith, NSW 2751 - Australia
Total Affiliations: 6
Document type: Journal article
Source: ECOLOGY LETTERS; v. 16, n. 12, p. 1436-1445, DEC 2013.
Web of Science Citations: 28
Abstract

Ecological theory predicts that communities using the same resources should have similar structure, but evolutionary constraints on colonisation and niche shifts may hamper such convergence. Multitrophic communities of wasps exploiting fig fruits, which first evolved about 75MYA, do not show long-term inheritance' of taxonomic (lineage) composition or species diversity. However, communities on three continents have converged ecologically in the presence and relative abundance of five insect guilds that we define. Some taxa fill the same niches in each community (phylogenetic niche conservatism). However, we show that overall convergence in ecological community structure depends also on a combination of niche shifts by resident lineages and local colonisations of figs by other insect lineages. Our study explores new ground, and develops new heuristic tools, in combining ecology and phylogeny to address patterns in the complex multitrophic communities of insect on plants, which comprise a large part of terrestrial biodiversity. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 04/10299-4 - Effects of the forest fragmentation in the State of São Paulo and other regions of the South and Southeast of the country in the functioning of populations of fig trees and in the fig-wasp mutualism of figs
Grantee:Rodrigo Augusto Santinelo Pereira
Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Young Investigators Grants