REGIONAL COEXISTENCE AND LOCAL DOMINANCE IN CHAOBORUS: SPECIES SORTING ALONG A PREDATION GRADIENT

摘要: Variation in the intensity of predation across well-known environmental gradient freshwater habitats from small, ephemeral ponds to large, permanent lakes is a key factor development and maintenance aquatic community structure. Here, we present data on distribution abundance four species Chaoborus (Diptera: Chaoboridae) this gradient. show distinct pattern sorting when systems are divided into fish fishless environments, consistent with traits known influence their vulnerability (i.e., pigmentation, diel vertical migration [DVM] behavior, body size). To test whether drivers pattern, created density by stocking bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) 15 experimental southwestern Michigan, USA, then allowed colonize. There was clear evidence along gradient; americanus most abundant ponds, C. flavicans neutral response fish, punctipennis albatus were at high biomass, field pattern. Furthermore, prey preference experiments confirm that size selective differences contribute distribution.