Resource abundance and frugivory in two manakin species (Aves: Pipridae) inhabiting a reforested area in Colombia

Abstract

Coexistence of closely related species is a central issue in community ecology, and those species are expected to present niche differentiation, particularly when resources become scarce (García & Arroyo 2005). Hence, resource abundance and diet differences might be playing a key role in determining species coexistence (Chapman & Rosenberg 1991, Stevensonet al. 2000). Trophic niche differentiation in frugivorous birds could be driven by fruit selection, morphology, behaviour (Moermond & Denslow 1983, 1985) and the spatiotemporal resource dynamics (Blake & Loiselle 1991, Saraccoet al. 2005, Solórzanoet al. 2000).