Phenotypic Plasticity and Species Coexistence.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• Intraspecific variation, often driven by phenotypic plasticity, influences species interactions and community structure.
• Contradictory findings exist regarding plasticity's role in species coexistence due to limited theoretical frameworks.
• Modern coexistence theory provides a lens to understand plasticity's complex effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the literature on phenotypic plasticity and species coexistence.
• To evaluate how plasticity influences stabilizing niche differences and competitive asymmetries.
• To propose novel empirical approaches for quantifying plasticity's net effect on coexistence.

Main Methods:

• Literature review framed within modern coexistence theory.
• Analysis of how phenotypic plasticity impacts ecological interactions.
• Identification of gaps in empirical quantification of plasticity's effects.

Main Results:

• Phenotypic plasticity can alter species interactions, affecting niche differentiation and competitive dynamics.
• Current studies rarely integrate measures to quantify the overall impact of plasticity on coexistence.
• Existing research lacks robust theoretical expectations for plasticity's role.

Conclusions:

• A theoretical and empirical gap exists in quantifying the net effect of phenotypic plasticity on species coexistence.
• Novel empirical strategies are needed to integrate plasticity into coexistence models.
• Understanding plasticity is crucial for predicting community composition and species interactions.