Species packing in eco‐evolutionary models of seasonally fluctuating environments |
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Authors: | Colin T Kremer Christopher A Klausmeier |
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Institution: | 1. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI, USA;2. Department of Plant Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA;3. Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA |
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Abstract: | As ecology and evolution become ever more entwined, many areas of ecological theory are being re‐examined. Eco‐evolutionary analyses of classic coexistence mechanisms are yielding new insights into the structure and stability of communities. We examine fluctuation‐dependent coexistence models, identifying communities that are both ecologically and evolutionarily stable. Members of these communities possess distinct environmental preferences, revealing widespread patterns of limiting similarity. This regularity leads to consistent changes in the structure of communities across fluctuation regimes. However, at high amplitudes, subtle differences in the form of fluctuations dramatically affect the collapse of communities. We also show that identical fluctuations can support multiple evolutionarily stable communities – a novel example of alternative stable states within eco‐evolutionary systems. Consequently, the configuration of communities will depend on historical contingencies, including details of the adaptive process. Integrating evolution into the study of coexistence offers new insights, while enriching our understanding of ecology. |
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Keywords: | Adaptive dynamics coexistence
ESS
evolutionary ecology limiting similarity temporal variation |
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