2D to 3D: Exploring Variation of Niche Dimensionality Across Consumers in a Coastal Arctic Ecosystem and Implications on Interpretation.
| Title: | 2D to 3D: Exploring Variation of Niche Dimensionality Across Consumers in a Coastal Arctic Ecosystem and Implications on Interpretation. |
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| Authors: | Carvalho PC; Fisheries and Oceans Canada Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.; Johnson KF; Fisheries and Oceans Canada Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.; Elliott KH; McGill University Ste. Anne de Bellevue Quebec Canada.; Ferguson SH; Fisheries and Oceans Canada Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.; University of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.; Fisk AT; University of Windsor Windsor Ontario Canada.; Gilchrist HG; Environment and Climate Change Canada Ottawa Ontario Canada.; Hedges KJ; Fisheries and Oceans Canada Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.; Love OP; University of Windsor Windsor Ontario Canada.; Mundy CJ; University of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.; Niemi A; Fisheries and Oceans Canada Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.; University of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.; Ogloff WR; University of Windsor Windsor Ontario Canada.; Rosenberg B; Fisheries and Oceans Canada Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.; Watt CA; Fisheries and Oceans Canada Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.; University of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.; Yurkowski DJ; Fisheries and Oceans Canada Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.; University of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba Canada. |
| Source: | Ecology and evolution [Ecol Evol] 2026 May 13; Vol. 16, pp. e73671. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 May 13 (Print Publication: 2026). |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Blackwell Pub. Ltd Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101566408 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 2045-7758 (Print) Linking ISSN: 20457758 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Ecol Evol Subsets: PubMed not MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: [Oxford] : Blackwell Pub. Ltd. |
| Abstract: | Each species occupies a distinct ecological niche, defined by a specific set of environmental conditions and resource requirements necessary for its survival and reproduction. However, climate change is altering species distributions, predator-prey relationships, and resource partitioning between species, with these changes being pronounced in the Arctic. Stable isotope analysis of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) has been widely used to estimate isotopic niches and quantify niche overlap among species using a two-dimensional approach (2D). However, δ13C is not always sufficient to differentiate habitat and resource use among species due to minimal variation between end-members. Incorporating sulfur stable isotopes (δ34S) can enhance resolution in such cases. Using an Arctic coastal food web as a model system, we used a three-dimensional isotopic niche approach (3D: δ13C-δ15N-δ34S) with 664 individuals across 49 species spanning multiple taxonomic groups (invertebrates, fish, seabirds, and marine mammals) that utilize resources from benthic and pelagic habitats. We compared the traditional 2D isotopic niches with a 3D framework using nicheROVER to assess how the addition of a third dimension changes niche size estimates and probability of niche overlap between species. We found that several benthic-associated species, including the common eider (Somateria mollissima) and various benthic invertebrates, tended to show greater changes in isotopic niche size with the addition of δ34S than pelagic-associated species. In addition, niche overlap among benthic-associated taxa generally decreased with the 3D approach, suggesting better resolution of habitat use and resource partitioning. This reflects the greater ecological diversity, foraging specialization, and more complex food web structure characteristic of benthic than pelagic ecosystems. We recommend incorporating δ34S for aquatic studies that involve benthic habitats and emphasize the value of multidimensional approaches to increase the resolution of ecological niche analysis.; (© 2026 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by British Ecological Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.) |
| Competing Interests: | The authors declare no conflicts of interest. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: benthic; food web; isotopic niche; overlap; pelagic; stable isotope; sulfur |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260515 Date Completed: 20260515 Latest Revision: 20260515 |
| Update Code: | 20260515 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13171226 |
| DOI: | 10.1002/ece3.73671 |
| PMID: | 42137544 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
Journal Article