ORCID Profile
0000-0002-2112-2803
Current Organisation
The University of Auckland
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Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 09-09-2016
DOI: 10.7287/PEERJ.PREPRINTS.2433V1
Abstract: Functional traits are the primary biotic component driving organism influence on ecosystem functions in consequence, traits are widely used in ecological research. However, most animal trait-based studies use easy-to-measure characteristics of species that are at best only weakly associated with functions. Animal-mediated pollination is a key ecosystem function and is likely to be influenced by pollinator traits, but to date no one has identified functional traits that are simple to measure and have good predictive power. Here, we show that a simple, easy to measure trait (hairiness) can predict pollinator effectiveness with high accuracy. We used a novel image analysis method to calculate entropy values for insect body surfaces as a measure of hairiness. We evaluated the power of our method for predicting pollinator effectiveness by regressing pollinator hairiness (entropy) against single visit pollen deposition (SVD) and pollen loads on insects. We used linear models and AIC C model selection to determine which body regions were the best predictors of SVD and pollen load. We found that hairiness can be used as a robust proxy of SVD. The best models for predicting SVD for the flower species Brassica rapa and Actinidia deliciosa were hairiness on the face and thorax as predictors (R 2 = 0.98 and 0.91 respectively). The best model for predicting pollen load for B . rapa was hairiness on the face (R 2 = 0.81). Accordingly, we suggest that the match between pollinator body region hairiness and plant reproductive structure morphology is a powerful predictor of pollinator effectiveness. We show that pollinator hairiness is strongly linked to pollination – an important ecosystem function, and provide a rigorous and time-efficient method for measuring hairiness. Identifying and accurately measuring key traits that drive ecosystem processes is critical as global change increasingly alters ecological communities, and subsequently, ecosystem functions worldwide.
Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Date: 04-05-2015
Abstract: Bird feeding is essentially a massive global supplementary feeding experiment, yet few studies have attempted to explore its ecological effects. In this study we use an in situ experimental approach to investigate the impacts of bird feeding on the structure of local bird assemblages. We present vital evidence that bird feeding contributes to the bird community patterns we observe in urban areas. In particular, the study demonstrates that common feeding practices can encourage higher densities of introduced birds, with potential negative consequences for native birds.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-02-2017
DOI: 10.1111/JAV.01076
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-01-2020
DOI: 10.1111/DDI.13021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-03-2021
Abstract: Invasive alien species can cause detrimental changes in native ecosystems, but our understanding of the interactions between multiple exotic species is limited. To evaluate the joint effect of multiple sympatric invaders on an ecosystem, we must first understand how they interact with each other. Here, we quantified the spatial distribution, dietary composition and overlap of four invasive generalist vespid species (two Vespula and two Polistes ) that co‐occur on Ahuahu off the north‐east coast of New Zealand. We used DNA metabarcoding of larval faecal material to identify prey species, and mapped the locations of nests. We observed clear spatial partitioning, with different wasp species aggregating in different habitats. Diet differed both among wasp species (diet partitioning) and among seasons (temporal partitioning). There was stronger competition (highest diet overlap) between Vespula germanica and Vespula vulgaris than between other wasp species, but partitioning resources minimised spatial and diet overlap between the four species. Additionally, we obtained high‐resolution diet inventories that help assess the combined ecological impact of invasion by multiple wasps. These species consumed mostly native and endemic invertebrates from multiple trophic levels, but particularly herbivores (Lepidoptera). We provide direct evidence that in combination they exploited a wide range of endemic invertebrates. Synthesis and applications . Our study demonstrates resource partitioning among four invasive wasps, facilitating coexistence of these generalist invaders. We conclude that coexistence probably lifies their ecological impact. Quantifying how multiple invaders exploit and partition resources provides insights into how communities assemble and helps to assess the cumulative effects of multiple invaders on the recipient community.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-08-2006
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-2015
DOI: 10.1890/150229
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2014
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-2014
Publisher: New Zealand Ecological Society
Date: 07-02-2020
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 02-08-2017
Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 21-12-2016
DOI: 10.7717/PEERJ.2779
Abstract: Functional traits are the primary biotic component driving organism influence on ecosystem functions in consequence, traits are widely used in ecological research. However, most animal trait-based studies use easy-to-measure characteristics of species that are at best only weakly associated with functions. Animal-mediated pollination is a key ecosystem function and is likely to be influenced by pollinator traits, but to date no one has identified functional traits that are simple to measure and have good predictive power. Here, we show that a simple, easy to measure trait (hairiness) can predict pollinator effectiveness with high accuracy. We used a novel image analysis method to calculate entropy values for insect body surfaces as a measure of hairiness. We evaluated the power of our method for predicting pollinator effectiveness by regressing pollinator hairiness (entropy) against single visit pollen deposition (SVD) and pollen loads on insects. We used linear models and AIC C model selection to determine which body regions were the best predictors of SVD and pollen load. We found that hairiness can be used as a robust proxy of SVD. The best models for predicting SVD for the flower species Brassica rapa and Actinidia deliciosa were hairiness on the face and thorax as predictors ( R 2 = 0.98 and 0.91 respectively). The best model for predicting pollen load for B . rapa was hairiness on the face ( R 2 = 0.81). We suggest that the match between pollinator body region hairiness and plant reproductive structure morphology is a powerful predictor of pollinator effectiveness. We show that pollinator hairiness is strongly linked to pollination—an important ecosystem function, and provide a rigorous and time-efficient method for measuring hairiness. Identifying and accurately measuring key traits that drive ecosystem processes is critical as global change increasingly alters ecological communities, and subsequently, ecosystem functions worldwide.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2010
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2007
No related grants have been discovered for Jacqueline Beggs.