Resource dispersion influences dispersal evolution of highly insulated insect communities

Venkateswaran, Vignesh and Kumble, Anusha LK and Borges, Renee M (2018) Resource dispersion influences dispersal evolution of highly insulated insect communities. In: BIOLOGY LETTERS, 14 (10).

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Abstract

Communities in which species are obligately associated with a single host are ideal to test adaptive responses of community traits to host-imposed selection because such communities are often highly insulated. Fig species provide oviposition resources to co-evolved fig-wasp communities. Dispersing fig-wasp communities move from one host plant to another for oviposition. We compared the spatial dispersion of two fig species and the dispersal capacities of their multitrophic wasp communities. Dispersal capacities were assessed by measuring vital dispersal correlates, namely tethered flight durations, somatic lipid contents and resting metabolic rates. We suggest that dispersal-trait distributions of congeneric wasp species across the communities are an adaptive response to host plant dispersion. Larger dispersal capacities of the entire multitrophic community are related to more widely dispersed resources. Our results provide evidence and a novel perspective for understanding the potential role of adaptation in whole-community dispersal-trait distributions.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	BIOLOGY LETTERS
Publisher:	ROYAL SOC
Additional Information:	Copy right for this article belong to ROYAL SOC
Keywords:	resource dispersion; dispersal; community trait; adaptation; fig wasps
Department/Centre:	Division of Biological Sciences > Centre for Ecological Sciences
Date Deposited:	14 Nov 2018 15:11
Last Modified:	14 Nov 2018 15:11
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/61058

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