Direct and indirect effects of habitat and spatial heterogeneity on
individual trophic traits in a critically endangered fish species
Abstract
Within-species Individual Trait Variation (ITV) is now recognised as an
important source of variability in ecological communities. Individual
variation in trophic niche traits (i.e. individual niche width and
between-individual variation) can greatly modify top-down and/or
competitive interactions. Trophic traits vary according to variation in
ecological opportunity, which represents the range of exploitable
resources. While the role of prey availability in driving trophic traits
is well-established, abiotic drivers (e.g. habitat structure) are rarely
accounted for, or are solely considered via their effect on the prey
community. We aimed to disentangle prey-mediated from direct habitat
effects on trophic ITV in a critically endangered riverine fish, the
Rhone streber (Zingel asper). We quantified individual trophic traits
using high-resolution diet data obtained from faeces metabarcoding, and
quantified prey availability and habitat structure using a fine-scale
sampling protocol. Trophic traits were driven by distinct mechanisms:
the individual niche width was driven by prey availability, while
between-individual variation was largely driven by habitat conditions.
Habitat conditions acted both directly on trophic traits and indirectly
via their effect on the prey community. By simultaneously accounting for
biotic and abiotic drivers of trophic ITV, we obtained a more complete
understanding of how prey availability and habitat structure jointly
determine ecological opportunity. Furthermore, by accounting for
fine-scale variation in prey community and habitat conditions, the
importance of spatial heterogeneity factors was highlighted. This study
demonstrates how robust metabarcoding data, combined with detailed prey
community and habitat information can be used to reveal the mechanistic
pathways that drive trophic traits.