Ecological versatility and the assembly of multiple competitors: cautionary notes for assembly inferences

Ecology
Victor S SaitoSandrine Pavoine

Abstract

The role of niche differences and competition is invoked when one finds coexisting species to be more dissimilar in trait composition than expected at random in community assembly studies. This approach has been questioned as competition has been hypothesized to either lead to communities assembled by similar or dissimilar species, depending on whether species similarity reflects fitness or niche differences, respectively. A current problem is that the arguments used to draw relationships between competition and species similarity are based on pairwise theoretical examples, while in nature competition can occurs among a constellation of species with different levels of versatility in resources used. By versatility we mean the documented ability of some species to escape competition for commonly used resources by changing for marginal and unused resources. Thus, a versatile species will have the ability to decrease niche overlap with all other species when facing strong competitors. When these species are embedded in multiple interactions the role of pairwise niche and fitness differences could be reduced due to indirect effects and thus competition would not be detectable. Here we developed a coexistence theory where competitio...Continue Reading

References

May 1, 1974·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·E R Pianka
May 1, 1970·Theoretical Population Biology·R MacArthur
Mar 8, 2006·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·D R BellwoodA S Hoey
Sep 18, 2007·The American Naturalist·Nathan J B KraftDavid D Ackerly
Sep 24, 2008·Ecology Letters·John J Wiens
Jun 26, 2010·Ecology Letters·Margaret M Mayfield, Jonathan M Levine
Jan 1, 1991·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·P Chesson
Jun 23, 2011·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Lars GötzenbergerMartin Zobel
Aug 6, 2013·Ecology Letters·Peter B AdlerNathan J B Kraft
Apr 29, 2014·Ecology Letters·Oscar GodoyJonathan M Levine
Jan 7, 2015·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Nathan J B KraftJonathan M Levine
Dec 1, 1979·Oecologia·Lawrence R Lawlor
Jan 1, 1984·Oecologia·R M Warwick, K R Clarke
Aug 1, 1993·Oecologia·N LeRoy PoffAndrew P Martin
Apr 2, 2017·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Marc W Cadotte, Caroline M Tucker
May 27, 2017·Ecology Letters·Laure GallienPeter B Adler
Jun 2, 2017·Nature·Jonathan M LevineStefano Allesina

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Mar 13, 2019·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Anna KondratyevaSandrine Pavoine

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.