Biological traits can determine species ecological niches and define species responses to environmental variation. Species have a specific functional position in the biological community, resulting in interactions like interspecific competition. In this study, we used biological traits in order to define the life strategies of 205 nektonic species of the Mediterranean Sea. Furthermore, traits related to resource use were analyzed to determine the level of trait and niche overlap and their relationship to life strategies. Focusing on habitats of importance (Posidonia beds, coralligène formations, and lagoons), we investigated strategies and niches of the species present there. Finally, we examined the life strategy of Lessepsian species and investigated the niche overlap between them and indigenous species. Archetypal analysis indicated the existence of three life histories corresponding to strategies already documented for fish (equilibrium, periodic, and opportunistic), with some species also placed in intermediate positions. Niche overlap was evaluated by multiple correspondence analysis and the generation of a single distance metric between all species pairs. This identified species occupying relatively empty (underexploited) ecological niches, like the Lessepsian species Siganus luridus and S. rivulatus , a finding that can also be associated with their establishment in the Mediterranean. Most Lessepsian species were associated with the opportunistic life history strategy, again an important aspect related to their establishment. Also, we documented that most species occurring in important habitats have a relatively high overlap of niches. No significant differences were found in the life strategies across Mediterranean habitats; however, variation in niche overlap and traits related to habitat use was detected. The findings can be useful to determine theoretical competition between species and to identify empty ecological niches. Fisheries science can also benefit from comprehending the dynamics of competing stocks or predict the responses of data‐poor stocks to anthropogenic stressors from known examples of species with shared life strategies.

中文翻译：

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数据匮乏的地中海游生物中基于性状的生命策略、生态位和生态位重叠。

生物特征可以决定物种的生态位并定义物种对环境变化的反应。物种在生物群落中具有特定的功能位置，从而导致种间竞争等相互作用。在这项研究中，我们利用生物学特征来定义地中海 205 种游动物种的生活策略。此外，还分析了与资源利用相关的特征，以确定特征和生态位重叠的程度及其与生活策略的关系。我们重点关注重要的栖息地（波西多尼亚床、珊瑚礁构造和泻湖），研究了那里存在的物种的策略和生态位。最后，我们研究了莱塞普斯物种的生活策略，并调查了它们与本地物种之间的生态位重叠。原型分析表明，存在与已记录的鱼类策略（平衡、周期性和机会性）相对应的三种生活史，其中一些物种也处于中间位置。通过多重对应分析和所有物种对之间单一距离度量的生成来评估生态位重叠。这一发现确定了占据相对空缺（未充分开发）的生态位的物种，例如莱塞普斯物种Siganus luridus和S. rivulatus，这一发现也可能与它们在地中海的定居有关。大多数莱塞普斯物种都与机会主义的生活史策略有关，这也是与它们的建立相关的一个重要方面。此外，我们记录了重要栖息地中出现的大多数物种都有相对较高的生态位重叠。地中海栖息地的生活策略没有发现显着差异；然而，发现了生态位重叠和与栖息地利用相关的特征的变化。这些发现可用于确定物种之间的理论竞争并确定空的生态位。渔业科学还可以从了解竞争种群的动态中受益，或者从具有共同生活策略的物种的已知例子中预测数据匮乏的种群对人为压力源的反应。