Sexual dimorphic effects of a keystone predator on prey communities.

ABSTRACT: The importance of trait variation has long been recognized in ecological and evolutionary research. The divergence of sexually dimorphic traits (e.g., body size, morphology, behavior, etc.) is primarily attributed to sexual selection, and sexual dimorphism can have consequences for diets and habitat use. Recent evidence for one aquatic predator species (adult newts; Notophthalmus viridescens) suggests that trait differences and habitat partitioning between the sexes may be important in structuring zooplankton communities. However, newts are known to increase amphibian diversity within pond communities via keystone predation. Yet, no data are available on differentiating potentially sexually dimorphic effects of newts on larval amphibian communities. Thus, we conducted a series of mesocosm

SUBMITTER: Davenport JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11749136 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature