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Emergent neutrality in consumer-resource dynamics.

Rafael D'Andrea1,2, Theo Gibbs3, James P O'Dwyer1

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Neutral theory, which assumes ecological equivalence, explains species abundance but struggles with community dynamics. This study shows how non-neutral communities can mimic neutral patterns, explaining neutral theory's macroecological success.

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Community Ecology
  • Macroecology

Background:

  • Neutral theory posits ecological equivalence among species and individuals within a community.
  • While successful in predicting species abundance distributions in high-diversity communities, it faces criticism for failing to explain broader community properties and dynamics.
  • The ubiquity of interspecific differences raises questions about the fundamental applicability of strict neutrality in ecological communities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To derive analytical predictions explaining how non-neutral communities can exhibit neutral-like outcomes.
  • To verify these predictions using numerical simulations.
  • To investigate the limitations of current methods in detecting non-neutrality and explain the success of neutral theory in macroecological patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Derivation of analytical predictions for neutral-like outcomes in non-neutral consumer-resource communities.
  • Verification of theoretical predictions through numerical simulations.
  • Analysis of both static and dynamical community properties.

Main Results:

  • Non-neutral communities can indeed produce neutral-like outcomes under specific conditions.
  • Analysis of community distributions alone is insufficient for detecting non-neutrality.
  • The study provides a theoretical basis for the observed success of neutral theory in describing macroecological patterns.

Conclusions:

  • Neutral theory's success in macroecology may stem from non-neutral communities often exhibiting neutral-like patterns.
  • Detecting true ecological non-neutrality requires examining a broader range of community properties beyond abundance distributions.
  • This research offers a reconciliation between the theoretical limitations of neutral theory and its empirical success in macroecological studies.