Meeting Abstract

39.9  Jan. 6  Performance and niche space in a community of lizards. MEYERS, J.J.*; IRSCHICK, D.J.; University of Massachusetts, Amherst; University of Massachusetts, Amherst meyerhoffer@gmail.com

Studies examining niche relationships of lizard communities have focused primarily on spatial, temporal and trophic utilization of resources to explain niche partitioning. While ecomorphological work has established a strong link between these niche dimensions and organismal morphology, there are surprisingly few examples examining how species performance at similar ecological tasks influences community structure. In this study we examine niche partitioning not based on the resources used, but rather, on how well species perform at tasks that allow them to utilize these resources. We examined a riparian lizard community in central Arizona that contains nine sympatric species. We measured two important aspects of lizard performance, bite force, because of the relevance to dietary breadth, and sprint speed, which has important consequences for prey capture, predator escape and feeding. Because the habitat is primarily composed of arboreal and terrestrial components, sprint speeds were measured on vertical and horizontal substrates to estimate the ability to utilize available habitat. Comparison of these two performance traits with respect to resource availability and use may provide insight into how performance measures influence the fundamental and realized niches of the different species.