Niche partitioning in small mammals: interspecific and biome-level analyses using stable isotopes

Bubadué, J., Cáceres, N., Melo, G., Sponchiado, J., Battistella, T., Newton, J. , Meloro, C. and Constantine, R. (2021) Niche partitioning in small mammals: interspecific and biome-level analyses using stable isotopes. Journal of Mammalogy, 102(5), pp. 1235-1248. (doi: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab063)

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Abstract

Small mammal assemblages from South America provide a unique opportunity to measure coexistence and niche partitioning between marsupials and placentals. We tested how these two major clades partition environmental resources by comparing stable isotopic ratios of similar sized Didelphidae and Sigmodontinae in four Brazilian biomes: Pampas grassland, Pantanal wetland, Cerrado woodland savanna, and Atlantic Forest. Generally, didelphid isotopic niche follows a scaling law, because we found an association between δ15N enrichment and body mass. Sigmodontines that primarily partition the environment via forest strata showed a greater intake of C4 or/and crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants than didelphids, as reflected by their wider trophic niche. Values of δ13C were highest in savannas and grasslands (Cerrado and Pampas biomes), and values of δ15N were highest in the Atlantic Forest (in sigmodontines) and Pampas (in didelphids). While assessing patterns between the two major Brazilian biomes (Atlantic Forest and Cerrado), we found evidence of a broader trophic niche for both clades in the Cerrado. In the Atlantic Forest, niche occupation by Didelphidae was completely enclosed within the Sigmodontinae trophic niche. Both clades showed less overlap in the Cerrado, a less productive environment. Our results highlight the importance of a comparative framework and the use of stable isotopes for testing ecological questions related to how small mammalian communities partition their niche.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:This research was partially funded by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES; Code 001), Brazil, through graduate fellowships to JB and TB, a postdoctoral fellowship to GM, and a Programa de Doutorado-sanduíche no Exterior - CAPES grant to JB (88881.189949/2018-01). JB currently is funded by Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro with a postdoctoral scholarship. NC is a CNPq-fellow in Ecology in Brazil (313191/2018-2). Isotopic analyses were generously supported by NERC Life Science Mass spectrometry facility grant (09/01/2019) entitled: “Niche segregation between South American small rodents and m marsupials” awarded to CM and NC.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Newton, Dr Jason
Authors: Bubadué, J., Cáceres, N., Melo, G., Sponchiado, J., Battistella, T., Newton, J., Meloro, C., and Constantine, R.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
Journal Name:Journal of Mammalogy
Publisher:Oxford University Press
ISSN:0022-2372
ISSN (Online):1545-1542
Published Online:02 July 2021
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2021 The Authors
First Published:First published in Journal of Mammalogy 102(5): 1235-1248
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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