Our new paper @PNASNews is addressing a long-standing question in #ecology, #biodiversity sciences and #conservation biology:
How do multiple #species #coexist in fragmented landscapes?
A 🧵on multispecies coexistence: pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pn… (1/7)
How do multiple #species #coexist in fragmented landscapes?
A 🧵on multispecies coexistence: pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pn… (1/7)
2/7 Spatially #fragmented #landscapes are very common, both naturally & through human activities.
In such landscapes, a combination of local survival and #colonization of empty habitat patches is key to species' regional persistence.
In such landscapes, a combination of local survival and #colonization of empty habitat patches is key to species' regional persistence.
3/7 However, ecological #theory on species coexistence has so far largely focused on local communities.
By integrating #coexistence theory and #metacommunity theory, we propose a mathematical framework to understand multiple species' coexistence in fragmented landscapes.
By integrating #coexistence theory and #metacommunity theory, we propose a mathematical framework to understand multiple species' coexistence in fragmented landscapes.
4/7 We propose measures of #niche & #fitness differences for metacommunities, clarifying how spatial dynamics & habitat configuration interact w/ competition to determine coexistence of species.
They tell us when and how species can coexist in realistic landscape configurations.
They tell us when and how species can coexist in realistic landscape configurations.
5/7 Then parametrised a model in metacommunity of 3 #Daphnia species, covering >500 patches monitored over 36 years.
Our results illustrate emergence of interspecific variation in extinction and recolonization processes, including their dependencies on patch size & temperature.
Our results illustrate emergence of interspecific variation in extinction and recolonization processes, including their dependencies on patch size & temperature.
6/7 This variation contributes to coexistence by reducing fitness differences and increasing nice differences between the 3 #Daphnia species.
Contrastingly, contemporary environmental change decreases probability of species coexistence and reduces #biodiversity.
Contrastingly, contemporary environmental change decreases probability of species coexistence and reduces #biodiversity.
7/7 The project is a wonderful collaboration w/ @Shaopeng_Wang85 & Mingyu Luo @PKU1898 Serguei Saavedra @MIT Dieter Ebert @UniBasel & myself @UZH_en @EawagResearch. Started thinking about this topic 15 years ago during my PhD @Tvarminne; happy to see it now sees the light of day!
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