Exploring the nature of ecological specialization in a coral reef fish community: morphology, diet and foraging microhabitat use.

ABSTRACT: Patterns of ecological specialization offer invaluable information about ecosystems. Yet, specialization is rarely quantified across several ecological niche axes and variables beyond the link between morphological and dietary specialization have received little attention. Here, we provide a quantitative evaluation of ecological specialization in a coral reef fish assemblage (f. Acanthuridae) along one fundamental and two realized niche axes. Specifically, we examined ecological specialization in 10 surgeonfish species with regards to morphology and two realized niche axes associated with diet and foraging microhabitat utilization using a recently developed multidimensional framework. We then investigated the potential relationships between morphological and behavioural specialization. The

SUBMITTER: Brandl SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4614747 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature