dc.contributor.author |
Murray Ian W.
|
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dc.contributor.author |
Lease, Hilary M.
|
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dc.contributor.author |
Hetem, Robyn S.
|
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dc.contributor.author |
Mitchell, Duncan
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dc.contributor.author |
Fuller, Andrea
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dc.contributor.author |
Woodborne, Stephan M.
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dc.date.accessioned |
2017-05-24T07:40:37Z |
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dc.date.available |
2017-05-24T07:40:37Z |
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dc.date.issued |
2016-01 |
en |
dc.description.abstract |
We used stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to study the trophic niche of two species of insectivorous lizards, the Husab sand lizard Pedioplanis husabensis and Bradfield's Namib day gecko living sympatrically in the Namib Desert. We measured the ?13C and ?15N ratios in lizard blood tissues with different turnover times (whole blood, red blood cells and plasma) to investigate lizard diet in different seasons. We also measured the ?13C and ?15N ratios in available arthropod prey and plant tissues on the site, to identify the avenues of nutrient movement between lizards and their prey. Through the use of stable isotope mixing models, we found that the two lizard species relied on a largely non-overlapping but seasonally variable array of arthropods: P. husabensis primarily fed on termites, beetles and wasps, while R. bradfieldi fed mainly on ants, wasps and hemipterans. Nutrients originating from C3 plants were proportionally higher for R. bradfieldi than for P. husabensis during autumn and late autumn/early winter, although not summer. Contrary to the few available data estimating the trophic transfer of nutrients in ectotherms in mixed C3 and C4/crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant landscapes, we found that our lizard species primarily acquired nutrients that originated from C4/CAM plants. This work adds an important dimension to the general lack of studies using stable isotope analyses to estimate lizard niche partitioning and resource use. |
en |
dc.description.department |
Zoology and Entomology |
en |
dc.description.department |
Mammal Research Institute |
en |
dc.description.sponsorship |
An FRC individual grant to IWM from the University of
the Witwatersrand's Faculty of Health Sciences and a
National Research Foundation International Research
Grant (Namibia/South Africa Research Cooperation
Programme grant # 89140) to DM and Gillian Maggs-
Kölling. IWM acknowledges the support of the Claude
Leon Foundation through postdoctoral fellowship. |
en |
dc.description.uri |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1749-4877 |
en |
dc.identifier.citation |
Murray I, Lease H, Hetem R, Mitchell D, Fuller A, Woodborne S (2016). Stable isotope analysis of diet confirms niche separation of two sympatric species of Namib Desert lizard. Integrative Zoology 11, 60-75. |
en |
dc.identifier.issn |
1749-4877 (online) |
en |
dc.identifier.issn |
1749-4869 (print) |
en |
dc.identifier.other |
10.1111/1749-4877.12170 |
en |
dc.identifier.uri |
http://hdl.handle.net/2263/60621 |
|
dc.language.iso |
English |
en |
dc.publisher |
Wiley |
en |
dc.rights |
© 2015 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article :'Stable isotope analysis of diet confirms niche separation of two sympatric species of Namib Desert lizard', Integrative Zoology, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 60-75, 2016, doi : 10.1111/1749-4877.12170. The definite version is available at : http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1749-4877 |
en |
dc.subject |
Pedioplanis |
en |
dc.subject |
Rhoptropus |
en |
dc.subject |
Stable isotope |
en |
dc.subject |
Husab sand lizard (Pedioplanis husabensis) |
en |
dc.subject |
Bradfield's Namib day gecko |
en |
dc.subject |
Namib Desert |
en |
dc.subject |
Lizard |
en |
dc.title |
Stable isotope analysis of diet confirms niche separation of two sympatric species of Namib Desert lizard |
en |
dc.type |
Postprint Article |
en |