Edge-linked dynamics and the scale-dependence of competitive
Empirical data for several ecological systems suggest that howresource availability scales with patch geometry may influence the outcome ofspecies interactions. To study this process, we assume a pseudoequilibriumto reduce the dimensionality of a two-consumer-two-resource model in whichdifferent res...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AIMS Press
2005-09-01
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| Series: | Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/mbe.2005.2.833 |
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| Summary: | Empirical data for several ecological systems suggest that howresource availability scales with patch geometry may influence the outcome ofspecies interactions. To study this process, we assume a pseudoequilibriumto reduce the dimensionality of a two-consumer-two-resource model in whichdifferent resources are available in the interior of a patch versus at the edge.We analyze the resulting two species competition model to understand how theoutcome of competition between consumers changes as the size of the patchchanges, paying particular attention to the differential scaling of interior andedge-linked allochthonous resources as a function of patch size. We characterizeconditions on patch size and parameters under which competitive exclusion,coexistence, and a reversal in competitive dominance occur. We find thatthe degree of exclusivity in the use of edge versus interior habitats influencesthe potential for transitions in competitive outcomes, but that differences inresource quality between interior and edge habitats can, depending on thescenario, have either qualitative or quantitative influences on the transitions.The work highlights the importance of patch size to understanding speciesinteractions and demonstrates that competitive dominance can be a scale-dependent trait. |
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| ISSN: | 1551-0018 |