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Competitive exclusion within the predator community influences the distribution of a threatened prey species

Competitive exclusion within the predator community influences the distribution of a threatened... While much effort has been made to quantify how landscape composition influences the distribution of species, the possibility that geographical differences in species interactions might affect species distributions has received less attention. Investigating a predator–prey setting in a boreal forest ecosystem, we empirically show that large-scale differences in the predator community structure and small-scale competitive exclusion among predators affect the local distribution of a threatened forest specialist more than does landscape composition. Consequently, even though the landscape parameters affecting Siberian flying squirrel ( Pteromys volans ) distribution (prey) did not differ between nest sites of the predators Northern Goshawks ( Accipiter gentilis ) and Ural Owls ( Strix uralensis ) , flying squirrels were heterospecifically attracted by goshawks in a region where both predator species were present. No such effect was found in another region where Ural Owls were absent. These results provide evidence that differences in species interactions over large spatial scales may be a major force influencing the distribution and abundance patterns of species. On the basis of these findings, we suspect that subtle species interactions might be a central reason why landscape models constructed to predict species distributions often fail when applied to wider geographical scales. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Ecology Ecological Society of America

Competitive exclusion within the predator community influences the distribution of a threatened prey species

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References (46)

Publisher
Ecological Society of America
Copyright
Copyright © 2012 by the Ecological Society of America
Subject
Reports
ISSN
0012-9658
DOI
10.1890/12-0285.1
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

While much effort has been made to quantify how landscape composition influences the distribution of species, the possibility that geographical differences in species interactions might affect species distributions has received less attention. Investigating a predator–prey setting in a boreal forest ecosystem, we empirically show that large-scale differences in the predator community structure and small-scale competitive exclusion among predators affect the local distribution of a threatened forest specialist more than does landscape composition. Consequently, even though the landscape parameters affecting Siberian flying squirrel ( Pteromys volans ) distribution (prey) did not differ between nest sites of the predators Northern Goshawks ( Accipiter gentilis ) and Ural Owls ( Strix uralensis ) , flying squirrels were heterospecifically attracted by goshawks in a region where both predator species were present. No such effect was found in another region where Ural Owls were absent. These results provide evidence that differences in species interactions over large spatial scales may be a major force influencing the distribution and abundance patterns of species. On the basis of these findings, we suspect that subtle species interactions might be a central reason why landscape models constructed to predict species distributions often fail when applied to wider geographical scales.

Journal

EcologyEcological Society of America

Published: Aug 3, 2012

Keywords: Key words : Accipiter gentilis ; competitive exclusion ; Siberian flying squirrel ; habitat selection ; landscape composition ; Northern Goshawk ; predator community ; Pteromys volans ; spatial distribution ; species interactions ; Strix uralensis ; Ural Owl .

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