Spatiotemporal Niche Separation among Passeriformes in the Halla Mountain Wetland of Jeju, Republic of Korea: Insights from Camera Trap Data

Abstract

This study analyzed 5322 camera trap photographs from Halla Mountain Wetland, documenting 1427 independent bird sightings of 26 families and 49 species of Passeriformes. Key observations include morning activities in Cyanoptila cyanomelana and Horornis canturians and afternoon activity in Muscicapa dauurica and Phoenicurus auroreus. Wetlands were significantly preferred (P_i = 0.398) despite their smaller area, contrasting with underutilized grasslands (P_i = 0.181). Seasonal activity variations were notable, with overlap coefficients ranging from 0.08 to 0.81 across species, indicating diverse strategies in resource utilization and thermoregulation. Population density was found to be a critical factor in habitat usage, with high-density species showing more consistent activity patterns. The study’s results demonstrate the ecological adaptability of Passeriformes in the Halla Mountain Wetland while highlighting the limitations of camera trapping methods. These limitations include their fixed field of view and intermittent recording capability, which may not fully capture the spectrum of complex avian behaviors. This research underlines the need for future studies integrating various methodologies, such as direct observation and acoustic monitoring, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of avian ecology.

Trophic Niche Differentiation in Two Sympatric Nuthatch Species (Sitta yunnanensis and Sitta nagaensis)

“…In a community or ecosystem, differences in feeding habits and habitat among species will lead to differentiation in trophic niches, and overlap in food resources is expected in closely related sympatric species due to the similarity in body structure. Despite this, competition can be reduced through spatial or temporal differentiation in habitat use [46,47]. Future studies of closely related sympatric species should be combined with multi-dimensional explorations of their ecological niches for a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanism underlying their coexistence.…”