Ecological consequences of intra-population trait variation

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24370004
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: KISHIDA Osamu 北海道大学, 北方生物圏フィールド科学センター, 准教授 (00545626)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 種内変異 / 群集 / 個体群 / 生物間相互作用 / 表現型可塑性 / 共食い / 個体成長

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Individuals are not uniform even within a species. Using a forest pond community as a model system, I experimentally explored ecological consequences of intra-population trait variation in a predator and prey species. I found that Intra-population trait variation of predator (Hynobius retardatus, salamander larvae) and prey (Rana pirica, tadpoles) species strongly dictate structure of inter-specific interactions through occurrence of intra-specific interaction such as cannibalism and apparent competition. Importantly, such effects translate into impacts on demography and evolution of community members and material flow within and between ecosystems. This study generally highlights that incorporating trait variation within a species into community ecology is imperative to deepen our understanding of dynamics and function of ecological community in nature.

Free Research Field

動物生態学