@article{fdi:010066046,
  title = {{N}iche partitioning of feather mites within a seabird host, {C}alonectris borealis},
  author = {{S}tefan, {L}. {M}. and {G}omez-{D}iaz, {E}. and {E}lguero, {E}ric and {P}roctor, {H}. {C}. and {M}c{C}oy, {K}. {D}. and {G}onzalez-{S}olis, {J}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{A}ccording to classic niche theory, species can coexist in heterogeneous environments by reducing interspecific competition via niche partitioning, e.g. trophic or spatial partitioning. {H}owever, support for the role of competition on niche partitioning remains controversial. {H}ere, we tested for spatial and trophic partitioning in feather mites, a diverse and abundant group of arthropods. {W}e focused on the two dominant mite species, {M}icrospalax brevipes and {Z}achvatkinia ovata, inhabiting flight feathers of the {C}ory's shearwater, {C}alonectris borealis. {W}e performed mite counts across and within primary and tail feathers on free-living shearwaters breeding on an oceanic island ({G}ran {C}anaria, {C}anary {I}slands). {W}e then investigated trophic relationships between the two mite species and the host using stable isotope analyses of carbon and nitrogen on mite tissues and potential host food sources. {T}he distribution of the two mite species showed clear spatial segregation among feathers; {M}. brevipes showed high preference for the central wing primary feathers, whereas {Z}. ovata was restricted to the two outermost primaries. {M}orphological differences between {M}. brevipes and {Z}. ovata support an adaptive basis for the spatial segregation of the two mite species. {H}owever, the two mites overlap in some central primaries and statistical modeling showed that {Z}. ovata tends to outcompete {M}. brevipes. {I}sotopic analyses indicated similar isotopic values for the two mite species and a strong correlation in carbon signatures between mites inhabiting the same individual host suggesting that diet is mainly based on shared host-associated resources. {A}mong the four candidate tissues examined (blood, feather remains, skin remains and preen gland oil), we conclude that the diet is most likely dominated by preen gland oil, while the contribution of exogenous material to mite diets is less marked. {O}ur results indicate that ongoing competition for space and resources plays a central role in structuring feather mite communities. {T}hey also illustrate that symbiotic infracommunities are excellent model systems to study trophic ecology, and can improve our understanding of mechanisms of niche differentiation and species coexistence.},
  keywords = {{ATLANTIQUE} ; {CANARIES} {ILES}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}los {O}ne},
  volume = {10},
  numero = {12},
  pages = {e0144728 [18 ]},
  ISSN = {1932-6203},
  year = {2015},
  DOI = {10.1371/journal.pone.0144728},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010066046},
}