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Diversity is maintained by seasonal variation in species abundance
Background: Some of the most marked temporal fluctuations in species abundances are linked to seasons. In theory, multispecies assemblages can persist if species use shared resources at different times, thereby minimizing interspecific competition. However, there is scant empirical evidence supporti...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Default Article |
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2013
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/2134/21003 |
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| _version_ | 1818172116466401280 |
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| author | Hideyasu Shimadzu Maria Dornelas Peter A. Henderson Anne E. Magurran |
| author_facet | Hideyasu Shimadzu Maria Dornelas Peter A. Henderson Anne E. Magurran |
| author_sort | Hideyasu Shimadzu (2567326) |
| collection | Figshare |
| description | Background: Some of the most marked temporal fluctuations in species abundances are linked to seasons. In theory, multispecies assemblages can persist if species use shared resources at different times, thereby minimizing interspecific competition. However, there is scant empirical evidence supporting these predictions and, to the best of our knowledge, seasonal variation has never been explored in the context of fluctuation-mediated coexistence.Results: Using an exceptionally well-documented estuarine fish assemblage, sampled monthly for over 30 years, we show that temporal shifts in species abundances underpin species coexistence. Species fall into distinct seasonal groups, within which spatial resource use is more heterogeneous than would be expected by chance at those times when competition for food is most intense. We also detect seasonal variation in the richness and evenness of the community, again linked to shifts in resource availability.Conclusions: These results reveal that spatiotemporal shifts in community composition minimize competitive interactions and help stabilize total abundance. © 2013 Shimadzu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. |
| format | Default Article |
| id | rr-article-9386153 |
| institution | Loughborough University |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| record_format | Figshare |
| spelling | rr-article-93861532013-01-01T00:00:00Z Diversity is maintained by seasonal variation in species abundance Hideyasu Shimadzu (2567326) Maria Dornelas (732753) Peter A. Henderson (3249570) Anne E. Magurran (7159652) Other mathematical sciences not elsewhere classified Species coexistance Biodiversity Fluctuation mediated coexistence Storage effect Stability Mathematical Sciences not elsewhere classified Background: Some of the most marked temporal fluctuations in species abundances are linked to seasons. In theory, multispecies assemblages can persist if species use shared resources at different times, thereby minimizing interspecific competition. However, there is scant empirical evidence supporting these predictions and, to the best of our knowledge, seasonal variation has never been explored in the context of fluctuation-mediated coexistence.Results: Using an exceptionally well-documented estuarine fish assemblage, sampled monthly for over 30 years, we show that temporal shifts in species abundances underpin species coexistence. Species fall into distinct seasonal groups, within which spatial resource use is more heterogeneous than would be expected by chance at those times when competition for food is most intense. We also detect seasonal variation in the richness and evenness of the community, again linked to shifts in resource availability.Conclusions: These results reveal that spatiotemporal shifts in community composition minimize competitive interactions and help stabilize total abundance. © 2013 Shimadzu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z Text Journal contribution 2134/21003 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Diversity_is_maintained_by_seasonal_variation_in_species_abundance/9386153 CC BY 3.0 |
| spellingShingle | Other mathematical sciences not elsewhere classified Species coexistance Biodiversity Fluctuation mediated coexistence Storage effect Stability Mathematical Sciences not elsewhere classified Hideyasu Shimadzu Maria Dornelas Peter A. Henderson Anne E. Magurran Diversity is maintained by seasonal variation in species abundance |
| title | Diversity is maintained by seasonal variation in species abundance |
| title_full | Diversity is maintained by seasonal variation in species abundance |
| title_fullStr | Diversity is maintained by seasonal variation in species abundance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diversity is maintained by seasonal variation in species abundance |
| title_short | Diversity is maintained by seasonal variation in species abundance |
| title_sort | diversity is maintained by seasonal variation in species abundance |
| topic | Other mathematical sciences not elsewhere classified Species coexistance Biodiversity Fluctuation mediated coexistence Storage effect Stability Mathematical Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/2134/21003 |