Data for: Biomechanical adaptations enable phoretic mite species to occupy distinct spatial niches on host burying beetles
Cite this dataset
Sun, Syuan-Jyun; Chen, Simon; Federle, Walter; Kilner, Rebecca (2024). Data for: Biomechanical adaptations enable phoretic mite species to occupy distinct spatial niches on host burying beetles [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.41ns1rnnc
Abstract
Niche theory predicts that ecologically similar species coexist by minimising interspecific competition through niche partitioning. Therefore understanding the mechanisms of niche partitioning is essential for predicting interactions and coexistence between competing organisms. Here we study two phoretic mite species, Poecilochirus carabi, and Macrocheles nataliae that coexist on the same host-burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides and use it to ‘hitchhike’ between reproductive sites. Field observations revealed clear spatial partitioning between species in distinct host body parts. P. carabi preferred the ventral side of the thorax, whereas M. nataliae were exclusively found ventrally at the hairy base of the abdomen. Experimental manipulations of mite density showed that each species preferred these body parts, largely regardless of the density of the other mite species on the host beetle. Force measurements indicated that this spatial distribution is mediated by biomechanical adaptations, because each mite species required more force to be removed from their preferred location on the beetle. While P. carabi attached with large adhesive pads to the smooth thorax cuticle, M. nataliae gripped abdominal setae with their chelicerae. Our results show that specialist biomechanical adaptations for attachment can mediate spatial niche partitioning among species sharing the same host.
README: This is the repository for data and codes used in mite biomechanics paper Biomechanical adaptations mediate spatial niche partitioning between phoretic mite species on burying beetles
Syuan-Jyun Sun1,2,† ,*, Simon Chen1,†, Walter Federle1, and Rebecca M. Kilner1
1 Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK. 2 International Degree Program in Climate Change and Sustainable Development, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
†These authors contributed equally to this study.
*Corresponding author: Syuan-Jyun Sun Email: sjs243@ntu.edu.tw
We explored the spatial niche partitioning between two phoretic mite, Poecilochirus carabi and Macrocheles nataliae, that coexist on the host burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides. We further provided evidence with biomechanic approaches to reveal the underlying adaptive values of attachment to beetle's cuticle surface. We first surveyed the natural densities of mites on field-collected beetles, and determined their preferred attachment sites on beetles. Next, we manipulated densities of both mites to investigate how intra- and inter-specific interactions influenced mite spatial distribution. Using electron microscopy, we quantified the cuticle surface of all beetle body parts and mite attachment devices. To further assess if mite preference for specific attachment sites is adaptive, we tested mite attachment to both beetle surface and artificial test substrates. Together, we showed that specialised mite attachment to different beetle's body parts mediate spatial niche partitioning among mite species on their carrier.
Explanations for variables:
Fieldanalysis:
- Date: date of trapping event
- year: year of trapping event
- site: G (Gamlingay Wood)/W (Waresley Wood)
- id: individual id
- Trap: specific sites of trapping
- body: beetle body parts
- Sex: sex of beetles
- bodysize: pronotum width of beetles
- totalarea: total surface area of a given beetle (mm^2)
- area: surface area of a given body part of a given beetle
- head: surface area of the head of a given beetle
- thorax: surface area of the thorax of a given beetle
- abdomen: surface area of the abdomen of a given beetle
- pronotum: surface area of the pronotum of a given beetle
- elytra: surface area of the elytra of a given beetle
- presence: presence of P. carabi only (big), M. nataliae only (small), both (both), or none (none)
- bighead: number of P. carabi on the head of a given beetle
- bigthorax: number of P. carabi on the thorax of a given beetle
- bigabdomen: number of P. carabi on the abdomen of a given beetle
- bigpronotum: number of P. carabi on the pronotum of a given beetle
- bigelytra: number of P. carabi on the elytra of a given beetle
- bignum: total number of P. carabi on a given beetle
- predbighead: predicted number of P. carabi on the head of a given beetle, when multiplying the total number of mites by the percentage of each body part
- predbigthorax: predicted number of P. carabi on the thorax of a given beetle, when multiplying the total number of mites by the percentage of each body part
- predbigabdomen: predicted number of P. carabi on the abdomen of a given beetle, when multiplying the total number of mites by the percentage of each body part
- predbigpronotum: predicted number of P. carabi on the pronotum of a given beetle, when multiplying the total number of mites by the percentage of each body part
- predbigelytra: predicted number of P. carabi on the elytra of a given beetle, when multiplying the total number of mites by the percentage of each body part
- newbigmiteintensity: density of P. carabi (local number divided by local surface area) on a given body part
- oldbigintensity: total density of P. carabi (total number divided by total surface area) of a beetle
- smallhead: number of M. nataliae on the head of a given beetle
- smallthorax: number of M. nataliae on the thorax of a given beetle
- smallabdomen: number of M. nataliae on the abdomen of a given beetle
- smallpronotum: number of M. nataliae on the pronotum of a given beetle
- smallelytra: number of M. nataliae on the elytra of a given beetle
- smallnum: total number of M. nataliae on a given beetle
- newsmallmiteintensity: density of M. nataliae (local number divided by local surface area) on a given body part
- oldsmallintensity: total density of M. nataliae (total number divided by total surface area) of a beetle
force:
- miteid/id: individual id of mite
- mite: species of mite
- substrate: tested on substrate or on beetle
- tr: specific body parts that mites were tested
- angles: angles of pulling force
- force: strength of pulling force (mN)
hair quantification on abdomen:
- id: beetle individual id
- replicate: replicates of sampled area on a given beetle
- num: number of hairs
- type: type of hair (long/short)
labspacecompetition:
- id: beetle individual id
- tr: mite density treatments (eg l50s50, meaning 50 P. carabi + 50 M. nataliae)
- body: specific body parts
- mite: mite species
- num: number of mites
- newintensity: the density of mites (for P. carabi or M. nataliae) on each specific body part
- bodysize: pronotum width of a beetle
- sex: sex of a beetle
- bignum: number of P. carabi placed
- bigintensity: the total density of P. carabi on a beetle
- smallnum: number of M. nataliae placed
- smallintensity: the total density of M. nataliae on a beetle
- naturalsetting: mite density for natural setting comparison (1), i.e. P. carabi ranging from 1, 10, 50, whereas, M. nataliae ranging from 1, 3, 5.
longhairnum:
- imageid: image id of each beetle
- id: individual beetle id
- replicate: replicated sampling sites of each image
- num: number of hair
- body: beetle's body parts
- hairlength: hair type as long or short
- hairdensity: T for comparing long hair density on thorax vs short hair density on abdomen
mite reproduction:
- pair: pairing id
- wt: carcass mass (g)
- bl: block of experiment
- male: specific family that the male originated
- female: specific family that the female originated
- mitetr: mite species
- mitenum: number of mite offspring
padarea:
- videoid: video id
- mite: mite species
- miteid: id of individual mite
- stepid: step id of each individual mite
- area: pad contact area (um^2)
Methods
We explored the spatial niche partitioning between two phoretic mite, Poecilochirus carabi, and Macrocheles nataliae, that coexist on the host-burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides. We further provided evidence with biomechanic approaches to reveal the underlying adaptive values of attachment to beetle's cuticle surface. We first surveyed the natural densities of mites on field-collected beetles, and determined their preferred attachment sites on beetles. Next, we manipulated densities of both mites to investigate how intra- and inter-specific interactions influenced mite spatial distribution. Using electron microscopy, we quantified the cuticle surface of all beetle body parts and mite attachment devices. To further assess if mite preference for specific attachment sites is adaptive, we tested mite attachment to both beetle surface and artificial test substrates. Together, we showed that specialised mite attachment to different beetle's body parts mediate spatial niche partitioning among mite species on their carrier.
Funding
Cambridge Commonwealth European and International Trust
National Taiwan University
National Science and Technology Council, Award: 112-2628-B-002-013
Ministry of Education, Taiwan
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
European Research Council, Award: 301785 BALDWINIAN_BEETLES
Royal Society, Wolfson Merit Award