loading page

A niche-based approach for evaluating the mechanisms of community stability in butterflies
  • +13
  • Luke Evans,
  • Yolanda Melero,
  • Reto Schmucki,
  • Philipp Boersch-Supan,
  • Lluis Brotons,
  • Colin Fontaine,
  • Frederic Jiguet,
  • Mikko Kuussaari,
  • Dario Massimino,
  • Robert Robinson,
  • David Roy,
  • Oliver Schweiger,
  • Josef Settele,
  • Constanti Stefanescu,
  • Chris van Turnhout,
  • Tom Oliver
Luke Evans
University of Reading

Corresponding Author:lukechristopher.evans@reading.ac.uk

Author Profile
Yolanda Melero
CREAF
Author Profile
Reto Schmucki
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Author Profile
Philipp Boersch-Supan
BTO
Author Profile
Lluis Brotons
Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF)
Author Profile
Colin Fontaine
Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle
Author Profile
Frederic Jiguet
Centre d'Ecologie et de Sciences de la Conservation
Author Profile
Mikko Kuussaari
Finnish Environment Institute
Author Profile
Dario Massimino
BTO
Author Profile
Robert Robinson
BTO
Author Profile
David Roy
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Author Profile
Oliver Schweiger
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ
Author Profile
Josef Settele
UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research
Author Profile
Constanti Stefanescu
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona Centre de Recerca Ecologica i Aplicacions Forestals
Author Profile
Chris van Turnhout
SOVON Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology
Author Profile
Tom Oliver
University of Reading
Author Profile

Abstract

Species niches may impact population and community stability by influencing average population sizes and species richness, however, niche-based approaches are rarely applied when studying stability in natural communities. Here we utilise a niche-based approach to link niche characteristics to community stability in 140 European butterfly communities. We represent niches as hyper-volumes and generate metrics for niche overlap, mismatch, and volume. Using structural equation modelling we then test five hypotheses linking niche and community characteristics to mechanisms influencing community stability. We find that the position of a site relative to the niches of the species pool predicts species richness, and that sites with species near the centre of their niche have higher mean abundance. We then show that niche position and size influence population stability, and species richness increases asynchrony which subsequently influences community stability. Our approach demonstrates that niches metrics are useful tools for understanding the dynamics of natural communities.