TY - JOUR

T1 - Trait diversity promotes stability of community dynamics

A1 - Zhang,Lai

A1 - Thygesen,Uffe Høgsbro

A1 - Knudsen,Kim

A1 - Andersen,Ken Haste

AU - Zhang,Lai

AU - Thygesen,Uffe Høgsbro

AU - Knudsen,Kim

AU - Andersen,Ken Haste

PB - Springer Netherlands

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - The theoretical exploration of how diversity influences stability has traditionally been approached by species-centric methods. Here we offer an alternative <br/>approach to the diversity–stability problem by examining the stability and dynamics of size and trait distributions of individuals. The analysis is performed <br/>by comparing the properties of two size spectrum models. The first model considers all individuals as belonging to the same “average” species, i.e., without a description of diversity. The second model introduces diversity by further considering individuals by a trait, here asymptotic body size. The dynamic properties of the models are described by a stability analysis of equilibrium <br/>solutions and by the non-equilibrium dynamics. We find that the introduction of trait diversity expands the set of parameters for which the equilibrium is stable <br/>and, if the community is unstable, makes the oscillations smaller, slower, and more regular. The stabilizing mechanism is the variation in growth rate between <br/>individuals with the same body size but different trait values

AB - The theoretical exploration of how diversity influences stability has traditionally been approached by species-centric methods. Here we offer an alternative <br/>approach to the diversity–stability problem by examining the stability and dynamics of size and trait distributions of individuals. The analysis is performed <br/>by comparing the properties of two size spectrum models. The first model considers all individuals as belonging to the same “average” species, i.e., without a description of diversity. The second model introduces diversity by further considering individuals by a trait, here asymptotic body size. The dynamic properties of the models are described by a stability analysis of equilibrium <br/>solutions and by the non-equilibrium dynamics. We find that the introduction of trait diversity expands the set of parameters for which the equilibrium is stable <br/>and, if the community is unstable, makes the oscillations smaller, slower, and more regular. The stabilizing mechanism is the variation in growth rate between <br/>individuals with the same body size but different trait values

KW - HASH(0x4b7c220)

KW - Life history

KW - Size spectra

KW - Structured population

KW - Trait-based modeling

U2 - 10.1007/s12080-012-0160-6

DO - 10.1007/s12080-012-0160-6

JO - Theoretical Ecology

JF - Theoretical Ecology

SN - 1874-1738

IS - 1

VL - 6

SP - 57

EP - 69

ER -