Resource partitioning in the carrion beetle (Coleoptera:Silphidae) fauna of southern Ontario: ecological and evolutionary considerations

Abstract

Resource partitioning in the silphid fauna of southern Ontario is examined in detail, using baited pitfall traps placed in four different habitats. During 1979 and 1980, a total of 9549 specimens of Silphidae were collected, representing 12 species, of which 5 were in the subfamily Silphinae and 7 in the subfamily Nicrophorinae. The roles of different seasonal patterns, habitat specificity, and food type and size in resource partitioning are discussed for all species. At the subfamilial level, resource partitioning is accomplished through selection of different sizes of carcasses, while at the specific level, seasonal patterns and habitat specificity appear to be the primary means permitting coexistence.In the Silphidae, competition for food resources appears to be the primary factor inducing ecological character displacement. The possible origins of patterns of resource use in this assemblage are discussed in an ecological and geological time framework.