"Vertical Habitat Stratification in Sympatric and Allopatric Population" by Jamie Fitzgerald and Todd P. Livdahl
 

Biology

Vertical Habitat Stratification in Sympatric and Allopatric Populations of Aedes hendersoni and Aedes triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Vertical habitat stratification in populations of Aedes hendersoni Cockerell (Diptera: Culicidae) and Aedes triseriatus (Say) (Diptera: Culicidae) has been observed to varying degrees throughout the species' sympatric range, and potential causes of the phenomenon, including species competition and interaction, have been debated extensively. Stratification patterns in oviposition in allopatric, sympatric, and marginally sympatric populations of both species were investigated and compared in this research to detect any pattern differences related to species composition. Expected patterns were observed in sympatric populations, with Ae. hendersoni preferentially ovipositing in canopy habitats, whereas Ae.Triseriatus preferred basal habitats. Allopatric populations presented a strong shift toward basal preference in the former and a slighter but significant shift toward canopy in the latter. Marginal populations of Ae. hendersoni showed intermediate height preferences, whereas preferences of marginal and sympatric Ae.Triseriatus did not differ. The convergence of habitat selection in allopatric populations and corresponding divergence in sympatric populations support interspecific competition-based hypotheses regarding the origin of the stratification phenomenon, although plausible alternative or contributing explanations are numerous and warrant further study.

Publication Title

Journal of Medical Entomology

Publication Date

2-25-2019

Volume

56

Issue

2

First Page

311

Last Page

319

ISSN

0022-2585

DOI

10.1093/jme/tjy107

Keywords

Aedes hendersoni, Aedes triseriatus, competition, niche diversification, resource partitioning

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