Interspecific Agonistic Behaviors in a Salamander Community: Implications for Alpha Selection

摘要: Competition between closely related species can affect behavioral interactions. Intense interspecific competition may favor the evolution of elevated levels aggression, termed alpha selection. Salamanders genus Plethodon exhibit territorial and in some cases interference mechanisms have evolved under process Throughout Ohio, two ecologically similar salamander, cinereus (red-backed salamander) P. electromorphus (northern ravine salamander), occur habitats be found sympatry. However, occurrence syntopic areas is infrequent compared to range overlap each seems limited by factors other than broad geographic factors. Here, we used salamanders from allopatric sympatric locations examine behavior both toward intruders. We hypothesized that animals sympatry would heightened aggression areas. support for this hypothesis, indicating intense Further, our results are consistent with hypothesis selection at level aggression. These suggest represent an unstable equilibrium where neither gain a competitive advantage.