Intraspecific predator interference promotes biodiversity in ecosystems.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Theoretical Ecology
• Population Dynamics

Background:

• The paradox of the plankton highlights how numerous species coexist on limited resources, challenging the competitive exclusion principle (CEP).
• The CEP states that species competing for identical limiting resources cannot coexist indefinitely.
• Understanding biodiversity maintenance is a fundamental ecological challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a mechanistic model explaining the coexistence of multiple consumer species with limited resources.
• To demonstrate how intraspecific interference can resolve the paradox of the plankton.
• To provide a framework for understanding biodiversity across various ecosystems.

Main Methods:

• Developed a mechanistic model incorporating intraspecific interference among consumers.
• Utilized stochastic simulation algorithms and individual-based modeling to test model robustness.
• Analyzed rank-abundance curves to illustrate biodiversity patterns.

Main Results:

• Intraspecific interference among consumers facilitates the coexistence of numerous species with few resources.
• The model explains classical experiments that appear to violate the competitive exclusion principle.
• Biodiversity facilitated by this mechanism is resistant to stochasticity.

Conclusions:

• Intraspecific interference is a key mechanism for maintaining high biodiversity in ecological communities.
• The model provides a quantitative explanation for universal biodiversity patterns, such as S-shaped rank-abundance curves.
• This framework can be applied to resolve biodiversity mysteries in diverse natural ecosystems.