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Updated: May 21, 2026

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
Published on: March 13, 2014
Niche enlargement as a consequence of co-existence: a case study
R Mazzoni1, P S Marques, C F Rezende
1Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. mazzoni@uerj.br
Abstract:
Spatio-temporal changes in the diet, niche breadth and niche overlap of two species of Characidium from three different sites along a Neotropical coastal stream were studied during a dry and rainy season. Seasonal changes were restricted to the occurrence of plant items in the stomach contents. The relative importance of food items in the diet of both species varied across sites, but Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Simuliidae, Trichoptera and Coleoptera larvae were always the main prey items. Contrary to the expected pattern, values of the niche breadth were higher at the site where Characidium species co-existed and niche overlapped at this site indicated 52% (p = 0.52) of feeding overlap.
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