High aquatic niche overlap in the newts Triturus cristatus and
T. marmoratus (Amphibia, Urodela)

Jehle, R; Bouma, P; Sztatecsny, M; Arntzen, JW

Abstract

We studied spatial niche metrics of large-bodied newts (Triturus cristatus and T. marmoratus) in three breeding
ponds in western France. Adults and larvae were sampled with underwater funnel traps. Larvae were identified to
the species with diagnostic microsatellite DNA markers. The distribution of adult T. cristatus and T. marmoratus
across pond regions differed in one out of six cases, no differences were observed between larvae (two ponds
studied). Niche overlap and niche breadth indices across resource states defined as pond regions or individual
traps were high (Schoener’s C: pond regions 0.60–0.98, traps 0.35–0.71; Levins’ B: pond regions 0.71–0.98,
traps 0.35–0.76). Adults of large-bodied newts significantly differed in resource use from small-bodied newts
(T. helveticus). The results are discussed in view of the occurrence of interspecific breeding attempts, and the
unpredictable ecological characteristics of newt breeding ponds.

Citation

T. marmoratus (Amphibia, Urodela). Hydrobiologia, 437, 149-155

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2000
• Deposit Date: Oct 30, 2009
• Journal: Hydrobiologia
• Print ISSN: 0018-8158
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 437
• Pages: 149-155
• Keywords: aquatic niche overlap, microsatellites, newts, Triturus cristatus, Triturus marmoratus
• Publisher URL: http://www.springer.com/life+sci/ecology/journal/10750