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How the resource supply distribution structures competitive communities.

Ravi Ranjan1, Christopher A Klausmeier2

  • 1Helmholtz Institute of Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB), Ammerländer Heerstraße 231, D-26129 Oldenburg, Germany; Alfred-Wegener-Institute, Helmholtz-Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany; W. K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, 3700 E. Gull Lake Dr, Hickory Corners, MI 49060, USA; Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, 612 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, 293 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.

Journal of Theoretical Biology
|February 10, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The width and shape of resource distributions critically influence ecological community structure. Wider distributions promote species coexistence and diversity, with width being the primary driver in large communities.

Keywords:
Adaptive dynamicsCompetitionEco-evolutionary dynamicsTrait patterns

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Theoretical Ecology
  • Community Ecology

Background:

  • Competition structures ecological communities and is modeled by Lotka-Volterra (LV) models.
  • Trait-based LV models explore community assembly and diversification.
  • Resource distribution width relative to competition kernel width is key for diversification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of resource distribution width and shape on ecological community structure.
  • To extend understanding of diversification in trait-based competition models.
  • To explore these dynamics in large, diverse communities.

Main Methods:

  • Continuously varied resource distribution width for unimodal and bimodal shapes.
  • Analyzed effects on species diversity, traits, and abundances.
  • Examined competition's role in resource utilization.

Main Results:

  • Narrow resource distributions lead to species exclusion.
  • Wider distributions facilitate stable coexistence, with species traits shaped by distribution.
  • Extremely wide distributions support diverse communities, with width determining diversity in large communities.

Conclusions:

  • Resource distribution width is a primary determinant of community diversity and structure.
  • Competition maximizes resource use among species.
  • Findings extend the understanding of limiting similarity and eco-evolutionary dynamics.