Disentangling the Effects of Biotic and Abiotic Dimensions of Ecological Opportunity on Individual Trophic Trait Variation.

ABSTRACT: Within-species individual trait variation (ITV) plays a critical role in ecological and evolutionary dynamics by influencing community structure, ecosystem functioning, and individual fitness. While the role of the biotic dimension of ecological opportunity (e.g., interspecific competition, prey availability) in shaping trophic ITV is now well established, the role of the abiotic dimension, and its interactions with biotic factors, remains critically overlooked, limiting our understanding of how individuals cope with changes in ecological opportunity. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated trophic ITV in the endangered riverine fish Zingel asper using a multi-faceted approach: (i) precise quantification of trophic ITV via faecal metabarcoding, (ii) fine-scale mapping of prey availa

SUBMITTER: Villsen K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12530292 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature