Influences of submerged plant collapse on diet composition, breadth, and overlap among four crane species at Poyang Lake, China.
Jinjin HouLei LiYafang WangWenjuan WangHuiying ZhanNianhua DaiPing LuPublished in: Frontiers in zoology (2021)
Our study emphasizes the superior quality of natural wetlands compared to agricultural fields as foraging habitats for cranes. To provide safer and better foraging areas for cranes, it is urgent to restore the submerged plants at Poyang Lake. While high dietary niche overlap is often interpreted as intense interspecific competition, our study highlights the importance of taking food abundance into account.