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Effects of Intraspecific Competition on Sheltering Behavior in the Desert Sand Scorpion

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Effects of Intraspecific Competition on Sheltering Behavior in the Desert Sand Scorpion Effects of intraspecific competition on sheltering behavior in the desert sand scorpion Yousef Awad1, Anthony Ebraham1, Jake Hernandez2, Mariam Moazed2 1University of California, Riverside; 2University of California, Santa Cruz ABSTRACT Competitive exclusion can take place with abiotic resources such as heat or shelter. Because ectotherms’ internal temperatures are contingent upon the environment, if warmth is a limited resource, ectotherms may compete for warmer areas in their environment. In this study, our aim was to understand the importance of temperature in the selection of a shelter for the desert sand scorpion, Smeringurus mesaenis. We also aimed to understand how desert sand scorpions compete for limited warmth, and the role of competitive exclusion in shelter choice. In order to understand the effect of competition on sheltering behavior, we conducted choice trials between warm and cool rock shelters with solitary versus paired scorpions of different sizes. Observational results showed a strong correlation between ground surface temperature and scorpion body temperature. Scorpions did not show strong preference for warmer shelters when alone. However, we found evidence for competitive exclusion for warm rocks by bigger scorpions when paired with smaller scorpions. The competitive exclusion for warm shelters by larger desert sand scorpions has implications in scorpion population regulation. Keywords: Smeringurus mesaensis, competitive exclusion, scorpion behavior, desert, intraspecific competition INTRODUCTION where two species of chipmunks coexist, the larger chipmunk competitively excludes Food, water, and shelter are essential for the smaller chipmunk from the large animal survival. When such resources are chipmunk’s tree by barking at it and chasing limited, organisms with overlapping needs it away, thus excluding the smaller must compete to obtain them. One way chipmunk from food sources (Brown 1971). organisms compete is by removing the Abiotic factors can also affect competitor’s access to a resource competition. Beyond food and mating, altogether through competitive exclusion competitive exclusion can take place over (Hardin 1960). Mechanisms of competitive resources such as sunlight or space. For exclusion take many forms, ranging from instance, the effect of temperature on displays of aggression and auditory or visual organisms differs depending on whether warning cues to cannibalism (Polis and they are ectotherms or endotherms. McCormick 1987). For example, in the Ectotherms have increased metabolic rates Great Basin mountain ranges of California CEC Research | https://doi.org/10.21973/N3237M Fall 2019 1/7 at higher temperatures (Schulte 2015). dynamics on top of competitive behaviors. Higher metabolism means increased In this competitive, heat-limited mobility to search for food and mates, environment, it is unclear whether desert which corresponds to increased fitness sand scorpions in this system compete with (Knies and Kingsolver 2010). Because one another for warmer shelters. ectotherms’ internal temperatures are We sought to test the importance of contingent upon the environment, if temperature in shelter selection for desert warmth is a limited resource, ectotherms sand scorpions. Specifically, we tested the may compete for warmer areas in their effect of ground temperature on scorpion environment to increase their fitness. body temperature and size, predicting that Examples of ectotherms competing over ground surface temperature would closely thermal refugia include West Virginian match body temperature because scorpions brook trout and brown trout, dace and use the surfaces they directly contact for sculpin fishes in Tehama County, and warmth in the absence of solar radiation western fence lizards in Northern California (Kearney and Predavec 2000). We also (Hitt et. al. 2017, Baltz et. al. 1982, Sabo tested how desert sand scorpions compete 2003). One example of an ectotherm that for limited warmth, and the role of may compete for thermal resources is the competitive exclusion in shelter choice. We scorpion. hypothesized that desert sand scorpions Scorpions are ectothermic and often hunt would have a preference for warmer rocks for prey at night (Williams 1987). Scorpion at night, based on the assumption that behavior in deserts such as the Sonoran warmer rocks will temporarily provide more desert in the Southwestern United States warmth to sustain metabolism (Schulte and Northwestern Mexico is driven by 2015). Thus, we also predicted that larger competition for several reasons. First, scorpions would competitively exclude because they are nocturnal ectotherms, smaller scorpions from the warmer rocks in scorpions must compete for limited heat at manipulative experiments due to the night when incoming heat from solar limitation in warm shelters, which we radiation is lowest and air and soil believe to be the preferred shelter across all temperatures fall drastically in the desert sizes of scorpions. (van Gestel 2013) . Second, high density can increase competition for resources (Miller METHODS and Spoolman 2009). Desert sand scorpions (Smeringurus mesaenis) in 2.1 Study System particular are in high abundance at low We conducted an observational study and elevations in the north west of Anza- experimental study on the nights of Borrego Desert State Park, a protected November 1–5 2019 at the Steele/Burnand region of the Sonoran desert, which could Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center in increase instances of direct competition for Borrego Springs, California. Desert sand limited resources within the species scorpions were collected from 18:30 to (Korntheuer et. al. 2018). Finally, because 20:30 on the west side of the reserve in a scorpions are cannibalistic, their desert shrubland, which ranged in elevation interactions take on predator-prey CEC Research | https://doi.org/10.21973/N3237M Fall 2019 2/7 from 210 to 240 meters. The average air set to 76.7°C and then transferred to one temperature during collection was 24.1°C side of the arena. The other was kept in a (standard deviation of 1.7). The flora tempered classroom to mimic a cooler consisted mainly of creosote bush (Larrea outdoor temperature and transferred to the tridentata), cholla cactus (Cholla spp.), and opposite side of the arena. Rocks were ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens). We placed roughly 16 mm apart. To control for observed scorpions over a total area of air temperature and light, all trials were roughly 1 km. To ensure we never collected conducted in a dark room with the or measured the same scorpion twice, each thermostat set to 18.3°C. Using a night we flagged our study site and moved temperature gun, we measured the to an adjacent site with similar gradient in temperature of both rocks to ensure a 10°C elevation the following night. difference. The average temperature of our cool rocks was 18.7°C (standard deviation of 2.2 Observational Methods 4.6°C) and the average temperature of our warm rocks was 29.8°C (standard deviation We located and collected scorpions in a of 5.1°C). We placed each scorpion in the wash and along the base of the ridge center of one arena and observed its extending out of the wash using UV flash location after 15 minutes. Location was lights. At the time of collection, we categorized as either under warm rock, measured air temperature with an under cool rock, or in the open. anemometer, scorpion abdomen To test scorpion behavior when in temperature using a temperature gun, and competition, we collected scorpions and the temperature of the surface on which conducted competition trials for three the scorpion was found using a consecutive nights. We placed two temperature gun. We then flagged the scorpions of the same sex in 33 cm by 33 location where the scorpion was found. We cm rectangular rubber bin arenas with measured scorpion size using calipers from heated rocks and cool rocks in a tempered chelicerae to anus, and recorded their sex classroom. The average temperature of cool based on pectine size and comb number. rocks was 21.1°C (standard deviation of 2.7°C) and the average temperature of 2.3 Manipulation Methods warm rocks was 31.3°C (standard deviation To understand desert sand scorpion of 0.73°C). In each trial, one scorpion of the behavior when not in a competitive two was relatively larger. The average environment, we tested 24 scorpions on difference in size between paired scorpions two nights in arenas made with rectangular was 4.98 mm (standard deviation of 2.9 plastic or rubber bins roughly 1100 cm2 in mm). We released the two scorpions the area of the base. Each arena was simultaneously in the center of the arena, carpeted to 1 cm with sand and gravel from equidistant from warm and cool rocks. We the wash west of the desert research center then observed each scorpion’s location and two evenly spaced rocks of similar size after 15 minutes. Location was categorized of roughly 15 mm by 13 mm by 10 mm. One as either under warm rock, under cool rock, rock was warmed for 10 minutes in an oven or in the open. CEC Research | https://doi.org/10.21973/N3237M Fall 2019 3/7 2.4 Statistical Analysis strong effect on rock choice when two scorpions were competing (N = 36, χ2 = We used linear regressions to test the 4.01, P = 0.045: Figure 3). Larger scorpions effects of ground surface temperature on were found more frequently under warm scorpion body temperature and scorpion rocks than smaller scorpions: of the size. We used a logistic regression to test scorpions that chose a rock after fifteen the effects of scorpion size on rock minutes, 13 out of 18 of the larger preference between warm and cool rocks in scorpions were under warm rocks while our competition-free trials. Finally, we used only 6 out of 18 of the smaller scorpions a chi-square test to test the effects of were under warm rocks. scorpion size on rock preference between warm and cool rocks in our competition trials.
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