The distributions of morphologically specialized hummingbirds coincide with floral trait matching across an Andean elevational gradient

• Published in: Biotropica Vol. 51; no. 2; pp. 205 - 218
• Main Authors: Sonne, Jesper, Zanata, Thais B., González, Ana M. Martín, Torres, Nixon L. Cumbicus, Fjeldså, Jon, Colwell, Robert K., Tinoco, Boris A., Rahbek, Carsten, Dalsgaard, Bo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley 01.03.2019; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: altitude; Andes region; Bayesian analysis; Bayesian theory; Curvature; Ecuador; Flowers; Foraging; Geographical distribution; hummingbirds; Hypotheses; Interactions; Matching; Modelling; modularity; Morphology; morphs; Mutualism; National parks; networks; ORIGINAL ARTICLE; Partitioning; Plant communities; Plant populations; plants; Podocarpus; Podocarpus National Park; pollination; prediction; Probability theory; Resource partitioning; Spatial distribution; Spatial variations; specialization; Trochilidae; Tropical climate; Ecuador; Andes region

Morphological trait matching between species affects resource partitioning in mutualistic systems. Yet, the determinants of spatial variation in trait matching remain largely unaddressed. Here, we generate a hypothesis that is based on the geographical distributions of species morphologies. To illus...