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Research | Open Access

Three-dimensional niche partitioning between two colonially nesting ardeid species in central China

Yuanxing Ye1, Canshi Hu2, Yiting Jiang3, Geoffrey W. H. Davison4, Changqing Ding1( )
School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
College of Life Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
Department of Life Science, Liaoning University, Shenyang, 110036, China
National Biodiversity Centre, National Parks Board, Singapore, 259569, Singapore
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Abstract

Background

Interspecific competition is known to be strongest between those species that are both closely related and sympatric. Egrets are colonially nesting wetland birds that often overlap and can therefore be expected to compete in roosting and nesting habitat as well as in diet. According to the niche partitioning hypothesis, it is to be expected that these similar species would show differentiation in at least one of the main niche dimensions to reduce competition. We tested niche partitioning between the colonially nesting Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) and Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) in temporal, spatial and trophic dimensions.

Methods

Field study was conducted in three mixed egret colonies in Yangxian County, southwest Shaanxi Province, central China. For each nest colony we recorded its spatial location, the height of nesting trees and of nests, the height of roosting trees and of roosting individuals within the trees. We determined the first egg-laying and first hatching dates of the two species. Craw dissection of storm-killed egret nestlings was used to measure the diet. Six transects were surveyed to study foraging habitat selection.

Results

We found that hatching time of Little Egrets peaked earlier (by about 1 month) than that of Cattle Egrets. Cattle Egrets nested and roosted higher than Little Egrets. The foraging habitats used by Little Egrets were dominated by river banks (73.49%), followed by paddy fields (13.25%) and reservoirs (10.84%), whereas Cattle Egret foraging sites were characterized by grasslands (44.44%), paddy fields (33.33%) and river banks (22.22%). Little Egrets consumed more fishes (65.66%) and Odonata larvae (13.69%) than Cattle Egrets, while Cattle Egrets were found feeding mainly on Coleoptera (29.69%) and Orthoptera (23.29%). Little Egrets preyed on larger mean biomasses of food items than Cattle Egrets.

Conclusions

Our results confirm the niche partitioning hypothesis as a mechanism for coexistence among ecologically similar species. In two coexisting egret species, niche partitioning is multidimensional, such that the two coexistent species occupy differing ecological space based on all three temporal, spatial and trophic niche dimensions.

Keywords

Bubulcus ibis Egretta garzetta Interspecific competitionNiche partitionSympatric species

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Avian Research
Volume 12 Issue 1,
January 2021
Article number: 33
DOI: 10.1186/s40657-021-00264-7
Cite this article:
Ye Y, Hu C, Jiang Y, et al. Three-dimensional niche partitioning between two colonially nesting ardeid species in central China. Avian Research, 2021, 12(1): 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-021-00264-7

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Received: 15 December 2020
Accepted: 25 May 2021
Published: 19 June 2021
© The Author(s) 2021.

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