Individuals in food webs: the relationships between trophic position, omnivory and among-individual diet variation.

ABSTRACT: Among-individual diet variation is common in natural populations and may occur at any trophic level within a food web. Yet, little is known about its variation among trophic levels and how such variation could affect phenotypic divergence within populations. In this study we investigate the relationships between trophic position (the population's range and average) and among-individual diet variation. We test for diet variation among individuals and across size classes of Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis), a widespread predatory freshwater fish that undergoes ontogenetic niche shifts. Second, we investigate among-individual diet variation within fish and invertebrate populations in two different lake communities using stable isotopes. Third, we test potential evolutionary implications of

SUBMITTER: Svanback R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4555210 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature