Native Consumers Research Articles

Rodent competition and fire alter patterns of mound and disk formation of western harvester ants.

Consumers exert top-down controls on dryland ecosystem function, but recent increases in fire activity may alter consumer communities in post-fire environments. Native consumers, including ants and rodents, likely have critical roles in defining post-fire plant community assembly and resilience to biological invasions. This study aimed to understand how western harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex occidentalis) that form mounds and large vegetation-free disks that significantly influence plant community structure in the Great Basin Desert respond to fire and rodent community abundance. We tested this by installing treatment plots that excluded or allowed rodents and were burned or unburned in a full factorial design. We measured ant disk and mound size and density in each experimental plot. Fire increased ant mound density by 126% compared to unburned plots. Rodent presence decreased mound density by 59%, mound diameter by 13%, and mound height by 166%. We also show an interaction where the adverse effects of rodents on ant disk density were greater in burned than in unburned plots. The results suggest that booms in rodent populations are likely to have suppressive effects on ant mound and disk formation in native shrublands but that harvester ants may be released from rodent competition with the emergence of invasive grass-fire cycles.

Which messages about healthy and sustainable eating resonate best with consumers with low socio-economic status?

Consumers with low socioeconomic status (SES) eat less healthy and sustainable diets than consumers with higher status. This is attributed, at least in part, to inequalities in health communication. An online survey with 134 socioeconomically disadvantaged consumers in Italy was conducted to test the effectiveness of tailor-made communication material (infographics) about healthy and sustainable eating (HSE). Participants were recruited at two social supermarkets by a social service organisation as well as via a crowdsourcing platform. Participants found information about HSE delivered through infographics moderately effective in increasing motivation, capability, and opportunity for HSE, and moderately useful and likely to impact their behaviour. Certain messages were more effective than others for native consumers, while migrants showed more indifferent responses to the various messages and manifested lower motivation to shift towards HSE, limited access to and seeking of nutrition-related information, and lower trust in information sources. Selecting which messages to deliver strategically, while also considering differences between segments of the target audience and their preferred sources and channels for communication, is promising; yet, structural changes related to food's affordability and availability are also needed to facilitate an effective communication.

DO Toxic Invasive Prey Become a Toxin Source for Native Consumers?

Toxic organisms can become food that potentially harms consumers. When these organisms become invasive species, the harm often turns to a serious threat that disrupts native ecosystems. On the other hand, there are consumers that can exploit toxic organisms for food and sequester intact toxins from them for the consumers' own chemical defense. Therefore, it can be expected that toxic invasive prey can become a toxin source for native consumers. Here, we focused on the relationship between toads, which are one of the major toxic invasive organisms and possess bufadienolides (BDs), and Rhabdophis snakes, which sequester BDs from toads. On Sado Island, Japan, R. tigrinus is native, but no toads had inhabited this island until Bufo japonicus formosus was introduced as a domestic invasive species in 1963 and 1964. At present, invasive toads are distributed only in the southwestern part of the island. We collected a total of 25 and 24 R. tigrinus from areas allopatric and sympatric with toads, respectively. Then, we investigated the possession of BDs and the BD profile of these snakes. We found that only R. tigrinus sympatric with toads possessed BDs, whereas all snakes allopatric with toads lacked BDs. Based on the characteristics of the BD profile, the toxin source was identified as B. j. formosus. Our findings show that a new case of impact caused by toxic invasive species, i.e., "toxin supply to native consumers from invasive prey", could occur.

Isotopic Overlap of Invasive and Native Consumers in the Food Web of Lake Trasimeno (Central Italy).

An advanced characterization of the trophic niche of non-indigenous species (NIS) may provide useful information on their ecological impact on invaded communities. Here, we used carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes to estimate pairwise niche overlaps between non-indigenous and native consumers in the winter food web of Lake Trasimeno (central Italy). Overall, a relatively low pairwise overlap of isotopic niches was observed between NIS and native species. The only exception was the Louisiana crayfish Procambarus clarkii, which showed a relatively high and diffuse overlap with other native invertebrates. Our findings highlighted a high niche divergence between non-indigenous and native species in Lake Trasimeno, suggesting a potentially low degree of interspecific competition that may facilitate coexistence and, in turn, limit the strength of impacts. The divergent results obtained for the Louisiana crayfish indicate that additional control measures for this invasive species are needed to mitigate its impact on the Lake Trasimeno system.

Imperial Hops: Beer in the Age of Empire

ABSTRACT The global spread of lager beers such as Heineken, Budweiser, Sapporo and Corona offers a seemingly classic case of cultural imperialism displacing local beverages including Japanese sake, Bolivian chicha, and African sorghum beer. Empire indeed launched beer to global status, beginning with British brewers shipping ale and porter to provision imperial agents around the world, although by the turn of the twentieth century, the crisp, clean taste of German lager had largely displaced heavier British brews from colonial markets. Lager beer also came to be seen as a civilizing taste in comparison with strongly flavored indigenous drinks, attracting many local consumers, despite imperial prohibitions against native consumption of European alcohol. Ultimately, Europe’s export brewers lost out to migrant brewers, who transplanted barley and hops, installed refrigerated machinery, and freed settler colonists and Native consumers alike from their reliance on beer from the metropolis, thereby demonstrating the limits of empire.

Plains Indian German silver from Oklahoma: the Smithsonian’s Davis collection

German silver jewelry has a historic and ongoing role in the social and ritual life of Indian people on the Southern Plains. A remarkably well-documented collection of German silverwork assembled in central Oklahoma in 1966 reveals much about the economics and social context of the craft at that time. The collection, now at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, includes the work of seven smiths from five tribes, together with information on production and circulation. In addition to biographies of the craftsmen, the documentation positions the objects within social processes involving craftworkers, commercial outlets, the Peyote religion, Native consumers, and an elusive non-Native market.

How Students’ Information Sensitivity, Privacy Trade-Offs, and Stages of Customer Journey Affect Consent to Utilize Personal Data

Aim/Purpose: This study aimed to increase our understanding of how the stages of the customer purchase journey, privacy trade-offs, and information sensitivity of different business service sectors affect consumers’ privacy concerns. Background: The study investigated young consumers’ willingness to provide consent to use their personal data at different phases of the customer journey. This study also examined their readiness to provide consent if they receive personal benefits, and how information sensitivity varied between different individuals and business sectors. Methodology: Data was collected by a quantitative survey (n=309) and analyzed with R using the Bayesian linear mixed effect modeling approach. The sample consisted of university students in Finland, who represented a group of young and digitally native consumers. The questionnaire was designed for this study and included constructs with primarily Likert-scale items. Contribution: The study contributed to data privacy and consent management research in information sensitivity, privacy trade-off, and the customer journey. The study underlined the need for a stronger user experience focus and contextuality. Findings: The results showed that readiness to disclose personal data varied at different phases of the customer journey as privacy concerns did not decrease in a linear fashion throughout the purchase process. Perceived benefits affected the willingness to provide consent for data usage, but concerned consumers would be less trade-off oriented. Self-benefit was the most relevant reason for sharing, while customization was the least. There is a connection between the information sensitivity of different business sector information and privacy concerns. No support for gender differences was found, but age affected benefits and business sector variables. Recommendations for Practitioners: The study recommends approaching consumers’ data privacy concerns from a customer journey perspective while trying to motivate consumers to share their personal data with relevant perceived benefits. The self-benefit was the most relevant benefit for willingness to provide consent, while customization was the least. Recommendation for Researchers: The study shows that individual preference for privacy was a major factor directly and via interaction for all three models. This study also showed that consumers’ subjective decision-making in privacy issues is both a situational and a contextual factor. Impact on Society: This study could encourage policymakers and societies to develop guidelines on how to develop privacy practices and consent management to be more user centric as individuals are increasingly concerned about their online privacy. Future Research: This study encourages examining consumers’ motivational factors to provide digital consent for companies with experimental research settings. This study also calls to explore perceived benefits in all age groups from the perspective of different information in various business sectors. This study shows that privacy concern is a contextual and situational factor.

Predicting invasive consumer impact via the comparative functional response approach: linking application to ecological theory

The Comparative Functional Response Approach (CFRA) was developed to provide a practical methodology by which short-term experiments can be used to forecast the longer-term impacts of a potential invading consumer. The CFRA makes inferences about potential invader impact based on comparisons of the functional responses of invader and native consumers on native resources in a common experimental venue. Application of the CFRA and derivative approaches have proliferated since it was introduced in 2014. Here we examine the conceptual foundations of the CFRA within the context of basic Lotka–Volterra consumer-resource theory. Our goals are to assess whether core predictions of the CFRA hold within this framework, to consider the relative importance of background mortality and consumer assimilation efficiency in determining predator impact, and to leverage this conceptual framework to expand the discussion regarding stability and long term consumer and resource dynamics. The CFRA assertion that consumers with a higher functional response will have larger impacts on resources only holds as long as all other parameters are equal, but basic theory indicates that predator impacts on prey abundance and stability will depend more on variation in conversion efficiency and background mortality. While examination of the CFRA within this framework highlights limitations about its current application, it also points to potential strengths that are only revealed when a theoretical context is identified, in this case the implications for stability and conceptual links to competition theory.

Evaluation of the microbiological and chemical aspects of autochthonous wild snails in Sardinia.

This study was conducted to acquire knowledge on the epidemiology and ecology of some zoonotic agents in snails. Chemical and microbiological analysis was carried out on 46 samples of snails belonging to the species of Helix aspersa and Helix (Eobania) vermiculata. The association between heavy metals and wild snails, a native consumer product in the Region of Sardinia, was determined.The molecular characterisation of Listeria monocytogenes virulence genes has shown a genetic profile that deserves more attention for the improvement of surveillance and risk prevention. Specimens of H. vermiculata showed higher concentrations of cadmium (M=0.80±0.56 mg/kg) than H. aspersa (M=0.61±0.17 mg /kg).A further objective was to determine whether the samples showed significant differences from the point of view of secretion characterisation, in terms of protein content, and to identify species-specific correlations and possible relationships with the environment. The presence of Salmonella enterica sub.sp houtenae (6,14: z4, z23) and Salmonella enterica subsp diarizonae (47: k: e, n, z15) (1 sample), Listeria monocytogenes (2 samples) with Molecular characterization of virulence genes together with the measurement of heavy metals in samples of wild snails has shown a health and hygiene profile that would deserve greater attention for the improvement of the surveillance and prevention of microbiological and chemical risk in such products which currently show a tendency towards increase in consumption.

DNA metabarcoding reveals introduced species predominate in the diet of a threatened endemic omnivore, Telfair's skink (Leiolopisma telfairii).

Introduced species can exert disproportionately negative effects on island ecosystems, but their potential role as food for native consumers is poorly studied. Telfair's skinks are endemic omnivores living on Round Island, Mauritius, a globally significant site of biodiversity conservation. We aimed to determine the dietary diversity and key trophic interactions of Telfair's skinks, whether introduced species are frequently consumed, and if diet composition changes seasonally between male and female skinks. We used DNA metabarcoding of skink fecal samples to identify animals (COI) and plants (ITS2) consumed by skinks. There were 389 dietary presence counts belonging to 77 dietary taxa found across the 73 Telfair's skink fecal samples. Introduced taxa were cumulatively consumed more frequently than other categories, accounting for 49.4% of all detections, compared to cryptogenic (20.6%), native (20.6%), and endemic taxa (9.5%). The most frequently consumed introduced species was the ant, Pheidole megacephala, present in 40% of samples. Blue latan palm, Latania loddigesii, was the most frequently consumed endemic species, present in 33% of samples but was only detected in the dry season, when fruits are produced. We found a strong seasonal difference in diet composition explained by the presence of certain plant species solely or primarily in one season and a marked increase in the consumption of animal prey in the dry season. Male and female skinks consumed several taxa at different frequencies. These results present a valuable perspective on the role of introduced species in the trophic network of their invaded ecosystem. Both native and introduced species provide nutritional resources for skinks, and this may have management implications in the context of species conservation and island restoration.

Scale development for consumer repulsion: A consumers' individual identity-expressiveness perspective.

In a number of emerging markets such as China, native consumers may avoid certain domestic products when foreign products are available. However, the studies on the unfavorable attitudes toward the products of one's own country are not sufficient. This article aims to develop a construct to explain this phenomenon. The measurement scale was developed and validated using responses from 318 Chinese consumers with respect to electronics and clothing. The judgment sampling method produced representative distributions in terms of age and gender. The items were first generated and refined based on the content validity. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and convergent and discriminant validity were then established. Finally, this study investigates relationships among consumer repulsion, domestic product ownership, and negative word of mouth, to confirm the nomological validity. This study develops a construct-consumer repulsion-that can be used to articulate native consumers' unfavorable attitudes toward domestic products from consumers' individual identity-expressiveness perspective. First, this study develops a scale for consumer repulsion. The scale shows good reliability, unidimensionality, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and nomological validity. The scale helps explain the nature and impact of country biases, and integrates and expands current studies in this field, which should prove helpful in further research on this topic. Furthermore, this study proposes a three-dimensional model of consumer repulsion consisting of affective repulsion, cognitive repulsion, and conative repulsion. Finally, these findings have shown that linking domestic products to social identity and self-identity will likely influence domestic product ownership and word of mouth of native consumers.

STUDY OF BILINGUAL ADVERTISEMENT STRATEGY IN LOCAL MARKING SCHEME

The present study “Study of bilingual advertisement strategy in local marking scheme” tends to explore the role of English in Pakistani Bilingual advertisements. Different persuasive techniques are used to attract both global and native consumers. Among other techniques, the technique of bilingualism has prominent position. In Pakistani media context national language Urdu is mixed with English to grab the attention of customers

Interactive effects of shell hash and predator exclusion on 0-year class recruits of two infaunal intertidal bivalve species in Maine, USA

Biotic and abiotic factors affecting survival and growth of recently settled infaunal bivalves not only determine the strength of 0-year class populations, but the structure and function of benthic soft-bottom communities. At mudflats across north-central Casco Bay, a 517 km2 embayment in the western Gulf of Maine, USA, intertidal sediments are generally acidic (pore water pH range = 7.09–7.85), which can negatively affect settlement and subsequent recruitment success of infaunal bivalves due directly or indirectly to shell dissolution. In addition, predation on bivalves by invasive green crabs, Carcinus maenas, and native consumers is intense in this region. Two commercially important infaunal bivalve species occupy these sediments (softshell clams, Mya arenaria; hard clams, Mercenaria mercenaria). Fisheries managers, legislators, and others have suggested that adding crushed shells of M. arenaria to the surface of mudflats can ameliorate negative effects of acidic sediment pore water through chemical buffering. We investigated the interactive effects of modifying surface sediments using crushed and weathered shells of Mya and predator exclusion on abundance and size of 0-year class individuals of these two bivalve species in large-scale plots (9.3 m2) and small-scale experimental units (EU; 182.4 cm2). Field experiments were conducted over three years (170–204 days yr−1; each initiated prior to spawning and continuing well after settlement had ceased). Shell hash in large-scale plots (mean particle size = 19.3 mm) varied across three levels (0, 0.63, and 1.27 kg m−2), and between 0 and 1.27 kg m−2 in EU where shell size varied from 1.9–19.3 mm. Small-scale experiments also used granite chips that, like crushed shells, increased habitat heterogeneity but did not buffer sediments. Density and size of both bivalve species at the end of most field trials were significantly greater in predator-exclusion treatments vs. controls independent of shell treatment. In all trials, neither Mya nor Mercenaria responded positively to the presence of shell additions. Fisheries managers should focus attention on mitigating effects due to predators instead of spreading shell hash to buffer intertidal sediments.

Productive partnerships? Driving consumer awareness to action in CSR partnerships

Despite proliferated growth in corporate social responsibility partnerships (CSRPs), there is limited understanding of how consumer groups native to an organization respond to partnership organizations (direct patrons). To redress this, an integrated theoretical framework incorporating consumer behavior, branding and CSR literature was developed focusing on drivers of consumer awareness leading to subsequent responses in a sports team and not-for-profit organization (NPO) partnership context. Systematic comparisons were also made by adopting the perspective of each native consumer group. The proposed conceptual model was tested with data obtained from sports team fans (n = 504) and NPO patrons (n = 355). Results indicate that consumer attributes and engagement with communication channels activate CSRP awareness, although website visitation does not and in line with associative network theory, each consumer group generally go through an awareness-to-action process. Multi-group results demonstrate a stronger intent to act among NPO patrons than fans, indicative of fans’ lower prioritization of CSRPs.

Dynamics of a non-autonomous biocontrol model on native consumer, biocontrol agent and their predator

In this paper, we propose and study the dynamics of a non-autonomous biocontrol model concerned with native consumer A, biocontrol agent B and their common predator L. We assume that some parameters in our proposed model are nonnegative functions instead of being bounded below by positive reals. This assumption is more realistic but makes mathematical proofs more challenging. We first study the positive invariance, permanence, and the global attractivity of bounded positive solution and boundary solution of the proposed model with general time-dependent parameters. Then we focus on the dynamics of the model with periodic parameters which include the existence and uniqueness of positive periodic solutions, and the global asymptotic stability of boundary periodic solution. We also explore and discuss the effects of introducing the biocontrol agent to ecosystem through theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. Our results show that introducing the biocontrol agent to ecosystem has positive effects by promoting its biodiversity and coexistence of all species, also potentially has negative effects by eliminating the predator. In addition, our numerical simulations show that (i) the amplitudes of periodic parameters could affect the permanence of non-autonomous periodic system; and (ii) the non-autonomous periodic system may suppress or improve the permanence of its autonomous version but related to the amplitudes of periodic parameters.

Native generalist consumers interact strongly with seeds of the invasive wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata)

When alien plant species arrive in a new environment, they develop novel interactions with native biota that can range from negative to positive. Determining the nature and strength of these interactions is integral to understanding why some aliens are suppressed and others become highly invasive pests. For introduced terrestrial plants, seed and seedling interactions with native biota are crucial, because most nascent populations start from seed. Herein, we explored interactions between native generalist rodent and bird consumers and seeds of the invasive wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata by conducting seed-offering experiments in Poland. We also evaluated how interspecific competition from native plants and intraspecific competition from clustering of E. lobata seed (clustering resembling consumer seed caching) affected survival of seedlings and young plants. Native consumers interacted strongly with E. lobata seeds, with rodents removing 98% of seeds from ground locations and birds removing 24% of elevated seeds. Camera and live traps indicated that striped field mice Apodemus agrarius were the predominant rodent removing seeds. Camera traps and visual observations indicated that great tits Parus major and European jays Garrulus glandarius were the primary bird species removing elevated seeds. While some level of seed removal was likely attributable to seed predation, as indicated by seed coat remains, we also observed evidence that rodents may cache E. lobata seeds and Garrulus glandarius are known to cache and disperse seeds. Monitoring of seedlings indicated that increasing cover of native plants and clustering of E. lobata seedlings both reduced survival of seedlings and young plants due to inter- and intraspecific competition, respectively. Hence, caching by generalist consumers may disperse E. lobata seeds, which are heavy and lack dispersal adaptations, but such caching may also reduce individual seedling survival rates. Fully understanding invasion success of the E. lobata will require evaluating the net effects of generalist consumers on its recruitment and dispersal.

Experimental evidence of the consumption of the invasive alien duckweed Lemna minuta by herbivorous larvae of the moth Cataclysta lemnata in Italy

Alien plant invasion is a serious threat for biodiversity conservation. Most theories on the mechanisms regulating the expansion of an alien species, agree that herbivory is one of the main factors affecting the success or failure of these species. One worrying example in Europe is the American duckweed Lemna minuta that, since its arrival in the 1940s, has become wide spread throughout many countries. This study focused on determining and quantifying the herbivorous nature of the larvae of the moth Cataclysta lemnata (native to Europe) with regards to L. minuta. On the premise that, if a native herbivore feeds on an alien plant species, it could help to contain its expansion. We tested the effectiveness of larvae at three different instars in consuming L. minuta under laboratory conditions. Laval preference for the alien L. minuta and the native L. minor was determined by quantifying the removal of monolayer mats of these two duckweeds. Firstly, we found that C. lemnata larvae was able to use L. minuta as a trophic resource and also to build protective cases. Moreover, they feed effectively, and seemingly without preference, on both the native and the alien species, contrary to the Enemy Release Hypothesis, which assumes that native consumers are better adapted to consume native species than alien ones. In addition, C. lemnata late-instar larvae were more efficient in Lemna consumption. This study suggests that where C. lemnata is a native herbivore the spread of L. minuta could be effectively contained.

Estructura de los valores humanos en consumidores y sus significados para quesos tradicionales chiapanecos

Objetivo: determinar la estructura de los valores humanos entre los consumidores locales del queso Crema de Chiapas y del queso Bola de Ocosingo e identificar los significados y las comunalidades que los consumidores nativos les otorgan a estos quesos. Metodología: se aplicó una encuesta (n1 = 230; n2 = 200) en la cual cada consumidor seleccionó los 13 valores más importantes y los 13 menos importantes, de una lista de 40 valores humanos. Con las distancias euclidianas de las matrices de proximidad generadas con los ordenamientos de los valores humanos se aplicó un análisis dimensional no métrico y se graficaron las dos primeras dimensiones, además se obtuvieron los promedios y desviaciones estándares para cada valor. A los mismos consumidores se les mostró una imagen de los quesos estudiados y se les pidió escribieran tres palabras asociadas a la imagen, las respuestas fueron agrupadas por afinidad para formar categorías. A las frecuencias de palabras asociadas en categoría se les aplicó una prueba de k proporciones y el procedimiento de Marascuilo. Resultados: para el queso Bola de Ocosingo los valores humanos de respeto por la tradición, educado y obediente se presentaron en el octavo, noveno y vigésimo octavo lugares de importancia; el mayor porcentaje de comunalidad de significados correspondió a la categoría de hedonismo (34.27 %) y en tercer lugar el significado de identidad (7.17 %). Para el queso Crema de Chiapas educado, respeto por la tradición y obediente ocuparon el cuarto, el sexto y el octavo lugar de importancia y los mayores porcentajes de comunalidad de significados se presentaron para las categorías de proceso (10.05 %), atributos de apariencia (13.29 %), identidad (14.18 %), hedonismo (15.66 %) y platillos y maridajes (16.55 %), todas ellas estadísticamente iguales. Limitaciones: debido a los tamaños de muestra empleado, el margen de error fue del 7 %. Conclusiones: la estructura de los valores humanos entre los consumidores de los dos quesos fue diferente, los valores motivacionales de la tradición y la conservación fueron más importantes entre los consumidores del queso Crema de Chiapas que en los consumidores del queso Bola de Ocosingo y el porcentaje de la comunalidad del significado de identidad fue mayor en el queso Crema de Chiapas que en el queso Bola de Ocosingo.

Technology-driven consumption: digital natives and immigrants in the context of multifunctional convergence

ABSTRACT This study seeks to identify the characteristics of in-car technological devices featuring convergence, such as multimedia systems, that influence the intention of digital immigrant and digital native consumers to use current vehicles. Drawing on the concepts of ease of use, hedonic and utilitarian characteristics, social values, and identification with self, the perceptions of values in the two groups of users are analyzed. This study adopts a qualitative approach, using netnography, content analysis, and semi-structured interviews. The results indicate that the influence of the digital age is present in both consumer profiles. Although digital immigrants have more difficulties in learning, they strive to understand digital experiences and demonstrate a high sense of responsibility in terms of traffic safety. Although the lives of digital natives are based on digital knowledge, they are less concerned than are digital immigrants with the safety precautions that must be adopted when using technologies embedded in cars

Competition between co‐occurring invasive and native consumers switches between habitats

Abstract The introduction of a non‐native species frequently has adverse direct effects on native species. The underlying mechanisms, however, often remain unclear, in particular where native and invasive species are taxonomically similar. We found evidence of direct competitive interactions between a globally distributed invasive species (the Pacific oyster, Magallana gigas) and its native counterpart (the European oyster, Ostrea edulis). We also discovered that the competitive outcome differed between different habitat types and orientation by identifying context‐dependent responses driven by environmental conditions and stress (i.e. intertidal compared to subtidal habitats; and vertical versus horizontal substratum). This is particularly important because the European oyster is threatened, or in decline, throughout most of its range, and restoration efforts are underway in many regions. We combined experimental manipulations and stable isotope analysis (SIA) to identify the direct effects of competition and the mechanisms by which the invasive and native species compete. We identified negative effects of the invasive species on the native oyster, but these were limited to the subtidal habitat (lower stress environment) and determined by substratum orientation (habitat structure). Crucially, we found that effects of the invasive species on the native species were not always negative and under certain conditions (e.g. on vertical substrata) were positive. Shifts in isotopic niches of both species when co‐occurring, alongside mixing models, indicate that exploitative competition for food is most likely to underpin niche partitioning between both species. We have identified different foraging strategies under different contexts, and our findings highlight the importance of exploitative competition as a driving mechanism behind the co‐occurrence of two seemingly functionally similar consumers. The combination of experimental manipulations with SIA is a powerful tool, and we illustrate how this approach should be incorporated, into multiple environmental contexts at appropriate scales, to more accurately predict impacts of the spread of invasive species on native communities.