Data from: Resource dispersion influences dispersal evolution of highly insulated insect communities

Communities in which species are obligately associated with a single host
plant are ideal to test adaptive responses of community traits to
selection since such communities are often highly insulated. Fig species
provide oviposition resources to co-evolved fig-wasp communities.
Dispersing fig-wasp communities move from one host plant to another for
oviposition. We compared the spatial dispersion of two fig species and the
dispersal capacities of their multitrophic wasp communities. Dispersal
capacities were assessed by measuring vital dispersal correlates, namely
tethered flight durations, somatic lipid contents and resting metabolic
rates. We suggest that dispersal-trait distributions of congeneric wasp
species across the communities are an adaptive response to host plant
dispersion. Larger dispersal capacities of the entire multitrophic
community are related to more widely dispersed resources. Our results
provide evidence and a novel perspective for understanding the potential
role of adaptation in whole-community dispersal-trait distributions.