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High aquatic niche overlap in the newts Triturus cristatus and T. marmoratus (Amphibia, Urodela)

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Abstract

We studied spatial niche metrics of large-bodied newts (Triturus cristatus and T. marmoratus) in three breeding ponds in western France. Adults and larvae were sampled with underwater funnel traps. Larvae were identified to the species with diagnostic microsatellite DNA markers. The distribution of adult T. cristatus and T. marmoratus across pond regions differed in one out of six cases, no differences were observed between larvae (two ponds studied). Niche overlap and niche breadth indices across resource states defined as pond regions or individual traps were high (Schoener's C: pond regions 0.60–0.98, traps 0.35–0.71; Levins' B: pond regions 0.71–0.98, traps 0.35–0.76). Adults of large-bodied newts significantly differed in resource use from small-bodied newts (T. helveticus). The results are discussed in view of the occurrence of interspecific breeding attempts, and the unpredictable ecological characteristics of newt breeding ponds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria

    Robert Jehle & Marc Sztatecsny

  2. Institute for Systematics and Population Biology, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94776, 1090 GT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Pieter Bouma

  3. Unidade de Génetica Animal e Conservação, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua de Monte, Crasto, Vairão, 4480, Vila do Conde, Portugal

    J.W. Arntzen

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  1. Robert Jehle
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  2. Pieter Bouma
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  4. J.W. Arntzen
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Jehle, R., Bouma, P., Sztatecsny, M. et al. High aquatic niche overlap in the newts Triturus cristatus and T. marmoratus (Amphibia, Urodela). Hydrobiologia 437, 149–155 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026554907400

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