Bridging theory and experiments of priority effects.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Community Ecology
• Ecological Interactions

Background:

• Priority effects are crucial for community structure, but their diverse impacts across ecological systems remain poorly understood.
• Existing research presents conflicting outcomes due to variations in the mechanisms and temporal scales of priority effects.
• This ambiguity hinders accurate prediction of species interactions and biodiversity patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize existing research on priority effects and clarify their role in ecological systems.
• To propose a new framework for categorizing priority effects based on their underlying mechanisms.
• To facilitate better prediction of community dynamics and biodiversity outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive synthesis of previous studies on priority effects was conducted.
• Priority effects were functionally categorized into two main types: frequency-dependent and trait-dependent.
• The proposed categorization emphasizes ease of quantification from experimental data.

Main Results:

• Confusion regarding priority effects stems from differing mechanisms and temporal scales in prior research.
• Two distinct functional categories of priority effects were identified: frequency-dependent and trait-dependent.
• This new classification simplifies the analysis and modeling of priority effects.

Conclusions:

• Grouping priority effects into frequency-dependent and trait-dependent categories clarifies their ecological roles.
• This framework allows for more accurate community modeling by incorporating diverse biological mechanisms.
• The proposed approach enhances our ability to predict the consequences of priority effects across various ecosystems.