Disturbances, organisms and ecosystems: a global change perspective

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Community Ecology

Background:

• Ecosystems are shaped by species interactions and environmental disturbances.
• Organismal strategies for dealing with environmental fluctuations vary significantly.
• The classical r-K dichotomy provides a foundation for understanding these strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a theory on the role of disturbances in species assemblage and evolution.
• To introduce two distinct groups of organisms based on their disturbance-coping strategies.
• To explore the implications of these strategies for community dynamics and evolutionary trajectories.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical exposition based on ecological and evolutionary principles.
• Enrichment of the r-K dichotomy with modern community ecology concepts.
• Analysis of organismal strategies in relation to environmental predictability and anthropogenic pressures.

Main Results:

• Two organismal groups identified: "civilized" (specialized, efficient in predictable environments) and "barbarians" (less efficient in stable, but adapted to unpredictable conditions).
• Both groups contribute to community assembly and succession, with differing environmental requirements.
• Evolutionary and successional processes involve the alternation or success of these two strategies.

Conclusions:

• The balance between "civilized" and "barbarian" strategies is dynamic and influenced by environmental conditions.
• Current anthropogenic pressures, including climate change and pollution, are predicted to favor "barbarian" strategies.
• Understanding these contrasting strategies is crucial for predicting ecosystem responses to global change.