Ecological niche differentiation across a wolf‐coyote hybrid zone in eastern North America

摘要: Aim Human-caused habitat alteration and disturbance have promoted widespread loss of species’ reproductive barriers, leading to hybridization attendant changes in the distribution, abundance interactions most species. In theory, hybrids should intermediate niche occupancy features compared parental groups, thereby potentially fundamental role organisms an ecosystem. Yet, there is a gap our empirical understanding how differ their characteristics types; this uncertainty especially true for large carnivores that range over spatial extents high behavioural plasticity or environments they inhabit. We sought test whether eastern wolf (Canis lycaon) – coyote (C. latrans sp.) exhibited environmental progenitors. Location Eastern North America. Methods We integrated genetic profiling georeferenced canid (eastern wolf, coyote, hybrid) samples into species distribution models, investigate relationships between groups environment. used relevant variables overlap breath groups. Results Species models revealed clear patterns differentiation, with tending occur areas having attributes breadth, groups. Niche either group was greater than two further highlighting occupied by hybrids. Main conclusions We show even among wide-ranging highly plastic carnivores, tend exhibit Our support phenotype hypothesis highlights its ecological relevance when faced coarse observational data, complex structure, scale phenotypic plasticity.