Competition-colonization trade-offs and disturbance effects at multiple scales

The competition—colonization trade-off has long been a mechanism explaining patterns of species coexistence and diversity in nonequilibrium systems. It forms one explanation of the intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH) for local communities—specifically that diversity should be maximized at inte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecology (Durham) 2007-04, Vol.88 (4), p.823-829
Main Author: Cadotte, Marc William
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
abiotic stress
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Biodiversity
Biological and medical sciences
colonizing ability
Ecological competition
Ecological disturbance
Ecological genetics
Ecological succession
Ecology
Ecosystem
Eukaryota - growth & development
Eukaryota - physiology
Experiments
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
intermediate disturbance hypothesis
Marine ecology
metacommunity
Metapopulation ecology
microcosm
Microcosms
microhabitats
Microorganisms
Models, Biological
ponds
Population Dynamics
Population Growth
Porifera - growth & development
Porifera - physiology
prediction
Protozoa
provenance
regional vs. local
Rotifera
spatial data
spatial scale
Species
Species diversity
Species Specificity
succession
Synecology
Water - parasitology
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Summary:The competition—colonization trade-off has long been a mechanism explaining patterns of species coexistence and diversity in nonequilibrium systems. It forms one explanation of the intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH) for local communities—specifically that diversity should be maximized at intermediate disturbance frequencies, yet only a fraction of empirical studies support IDH predictions. Similarly, this trade-off is also a powerful explanation of coexistence at larger spatial scales. I show, with a microbial experimental system, that the diversity—disturbance relationship is dependent on the relative distribution of species along this trade-off. Here I show that, when species are skewed toward late-successional habits, local diversity declines with disturbance. Yet, despite this trait skew, diversity at scales larger than the patch appears insensitive to the trade-off distribution. Intermediate disturbance frequencies produce the greatest diversity in patch successional stage, thus benefiting the maximum number of species at larger scales.
ISSN:0012-9658
1939-9170
DOI:10.1890/06-1117