Macroecological signals of species interactions in the Danish avifauna.

ABSTRACT: The role of intraspecific and interspecific interactions in structuring biotic communities at fine spatial scales is well documented, but the signature of species interactions at coarser spatial scales is unclear. We present evidence that species interactions may be a significant factor in mediating the regional assembly of the Danish avifauna. Because >95% of breeding species (n = 197) are migratory, we hypothesized that dispersal limitation would not be important and that breeding distributions would largely reflect resource availability and autecological habitat preferences. Instead, we detected a striking pattern of spatial segregation between ecologically similar species at two spatial scales with a suite of null models that factored in the spatial distribution of habitats in Denmark

SUBMITTER: Gotelli NJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2841898 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature