Ecological Interchangeability - Niche Identity/Similarity
Analyses
Table 3 summarizes the ecological interchangeability analyses. AlthoughA. microunicolor has morphological and behavioral differences
indicating adaptive divergence from A. unicolor A, the other
lineage comparisons do not possess any obvious morphological or known
behavioral differences (Hendrixson & Bond, 2005a, 2005b). Niche
identity was rejected for all four sister lineage comparisons. However,
for the niche similarity test three of the comparisons were not
significantly more different or similar than expected regardless of the
background region threshold: 1) A. microunicolor and A.
unicolor A; 2) A. unicolor B1 and A. unicolor B2; 3)A. unicolor B1 + A. unicolor B2 and A. unicolor B3.
The fourth comparison between A. microunicolor + A.
unicolor A and A. unicolor B had conflicting results with three of
the four background regions (50km, 75km, and 100km) while the 25km
background region indicated no niche divergence or niche conservatism.
Comparing A. microunicolor + A. unicolor A occurrences to
the background regions of A. unicolor B suggests niche divergence
(i.e., significantly more different than expected), whereas comparing
the occurrences of A. unicolor B to the background regions ofA. microunicolor + A. unicolor A indicates niche
conservatism (i.e., significantly more similar than expected).