Article
Beyond pairwise mechanisms of species coexistence in complex communities
Nature
(2017)
Abstract
The tremendous diversity of species in ecological communities has motivated a century of research into the mechanisms that maintain biodiversity. However, much of this work examines the coexistence of just pairs of competitors. This approach ignores those mechanisms of coexistence that emerge only in diverse competitive networks. Despite the potential for these mechanisms to create conditions under which the loss of one competitor triggers the loss of others, we lack the knowledge needed to judge their importance for coexistence in nature. Progress requires borrowing insight from the study of multitrophic interaction networks, and coupling empirical data to models of competition.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2017
DOI
doi:10.1038/nature22898
Citation Information
Peter B. Adler. "Beyond pairwise mechanisms of species coexistence in complex communities" Nature Vol. 546 (2017) p. 56 - 64 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/peter_adler/98/