A unifying principle for multispecies coexistence under resource fluctuations.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Biodiversity research
• Theoretical ecology

Background:

• Resource fluctuations are common in nature but often considered to have a minor role in maintaining biodiversity.
• Prevailing ecological theories may not fully capture the impact of resource variability on species coexistence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To challenge the assumption that resource fluctuations play a limited role in biodiversity maintenance.
• To investigate multispecies coexistence dynamics under novel resource variability conditions.
• To propose a unified framework for understanding species coexistence in fluctuating resource environments.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of resource competition dynamics.
• Modeling species specialization on temporal patterns of resource variability.
• Examination of resource distribution's statistical moments.

Main Results:

• Multispecies coexistence is sustained when species specialize on distinct temporal patterns of resource variability.
• This specialization includes adapting to asymmetries and periodic extremes in resource availability.
• A unified framework emerges from partitioning the statistical moments of resource distribution.

Conclusions:

• Resource variability, specifically its temporal patterns, is a significant driver of biodiversity.
• Niche partitioning across statistical moments of resource fluctuations facilitates coexistence.
• Anthropogenic alterations to resource regimes pose a substantial threat to biodiversity.