The relative influence of competition and prey defenses on the phenotypic structure of insectivorous bat ensembles in southern Africa.

ABSTRACT: Deterministic filters such as competition and prey defences should have a strong influence on the community structure of animals such as insectivorous bats that have life histories characterized by low fecundity, low predation risk, long life expectancy, and stable populations. We investigated the relative influence of these two deterministic filters on the phenotypic structure of insectivorous bat ensembles in southern Africa. We used null models to simulate the random phenotypic patterns expected in the absence of competition or prey defences and analysed the deviations of the observed phenotypic pattern from these expected random patterns. The phenotypic structure at local scales exhibited non-random patterns consistent with both competition and prey defense hypotheses. There was eviden

SUBMITTER: Corrie Schoeman M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2579324 | biostudies-literature | 2008

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature