title: Chironomidae larvae (Diptera) of Neotropical floodplain: overlap niche in different habitats.
abstract: The niche overlap between trophic groups of Chironomidae larvae in different habitats was observed between trophic groups and between different environments in Neotropical floodplain. For the evaluation we used the index of niche overlap (CXY) and analysis of trophic networks, both from the types and amount of food items identified in the larval alimentary canal. In all environments, the larvae fed on mainly organic matter such as plants fragments and algae, but there were many omnivore larvae. Species that have high values of food items occurred in diverse environments as generalists with great overlap niche and those with a low amount of food items with less overlap niche were classified as specialists. The largest number of trophic niche overlap was observed among collector-gatherers in connected floodplain lakes. The lower values of index niche overlap were predators. The similarity in the diet of different taxa in the same niche does not necessarily imply competition between them, but coexistence when the food resource is not scarce in the environment even in partially overlapping niches.
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity and Etnobiology of Pantanal, Research Center in Limnology, Cáceres, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: C M M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Butakka
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Course in Continental Aquatic Environments, State University of Maringá ? UEM, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Ragonha
authors.affiliation: PEA, Research Nucleus in Limnology, Ictiology and Aquiculture ? Nupelia, Departament of Biology, State University of Maringá ? UEM, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Takeda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002683:Chironomidae / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D020387:Food Chain; D007814:Larva / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D014329:Tropical Climate