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Growth trades off with habitat specialization
M Julian Caley1, Philip L Munday
1Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB no. 3, Townsville MC, QLD 4810, Australia. j.caley@aims.gov.au
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|December 12, 2003
Summary
Specialists outperform generalists in specific habitats, but generalists show consistent performance across diverse environments. These findings support the
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Behavioral Ecology
Background:
- Niche breadth evolution and maintenance are poorly understood.
- The 'jack of all trades is master of none' model suggests performance trade-offs with specialization.
- Empirical evidence for these trade-offs has been lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To empirically test the 'jack of all trades is master of none' model.
- To investigate performance trade-offs in resource specialization.
- To understand the evolution and maintenance of niche breadth.
Main Methods:
- Studied four coral goby species in their natural habitat.
- Assessed performance (growth rates) across different resources/habitats.
- Compared specialists and generalists.
Main Results:
- Habitat specialists showed faster growth in one of two habitats.
- Generalists had lower average growth rates than specialists.
- Generalists exhibited more consistent growth rates across habitats.
Conclusions:
- Performance trade-offs support the 'jack of all trades is master of none' model.
- Specialization can lead to higher performance in specific niches.
- Trade-offs may drive the evolution and maintenance of narrow niche breadths.