Phenotypic diversity facilitates niche partitioning in a sky island assemblage of spiny lizards

If closely related species should be more similar and therefore more likely to compete for resources, why do we see so many examples of species-rich congeneric communities in nature? To avoid competition, many species possess suites of traits associated with differential resource use - or ecomorphologies - that promote niche differentiation with co-occurring species. Yet, the axes through which niche partitioning evolves and the traits involved are still poorly understood in most systems. Island systems, in which species interactions can form strong forces of selection due to limited resources, provide valuable insights into how ecomorphological diversity contributes to coexistence. Here, we examined axes of resource use and morphological traits that facilitate niche partitioning in a community of spiny lizards (genus Sceloporus) in a sky island system, the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona, USA. By quantifying structural, temporal and thermal niche use for over 300 co-occurring lizards from four species over three field seasons, we show that sympatric species diverge primarily in perch height and type, but also in thermal and temporal resource use. Our results further demonstrate interspecific divergence in a suite of phenotypic traits known to covary with ecology in other lizard radiations, including body size, scale size, hindlimb length, foot length and dorsal coloration. Studies of niche partitioning and ecomorphology, especially of closely related species, deepen our understanding of how diverse communities assemble and how morphological diversity accumulates across the tree of life, and our findings highlight the importance of examining multiple axes of resource use to better understand these processes.

Automated summary

To avoid competition, many species possess traits that promote niche differentiation with co-occurring species. By studying a community of spiny lizards in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona, USA, researchers found that sympatric species diverge primarily in perch height and type, as well as thermal and temporal resource use. These findings contribute to our understanding of how diverse communities assemble and how morphological diversity accumulates across the tree of life.