Patterns and Mechanisms of Niche Partitioning Between Related Parasitoids (Hymenoptera) Sharing the Same Host Species

Abstract

Related species of parasitoid Hymenoptera often coexist on a certain host, but many details of interactions between these organisms remain unclear. The present review summarizes the main existing concepts and facts and suggests principal patterns and mechanisms that allow for the coexistence of several members of a particular parasitoid genus at the expense of the same host. Although the successful introduction of exotic parasitic wasps into the existing ecosystems often leads to the competitive displacement of related parasitoids, mere spatial and/or temporal niche partitioning between these insects is also possible. Nevertheless, many cases of coexistence of related wasp species on the same host defy simple explanations since they apparently result from complex interactions between the host and its parasitoids. The main characteristics of the oviposition process, i.e., egg volume, fecundity, and duration of the egg-laying period, are likely to correlate with other basic features of life-history strategies in parasitoid Hymenoptera. Specialist parasitic wasps often aggregate over the host patches, whereas generalists can be randomly distributed, thus reducing the degree of interspecific competition among parasitoids. However, some of the coexisting parasitic wasps, usually the weakest competitors, must also have access to enemy-free space to survive.

Keywords: aggregated distribution; enemy-free space; generalist; life-history strategy; niche partitioning; oviposition; parasitic wasp; parasitoid Hymenoptera; specialist.