Stability and variability in competitive communities.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1999

Abstract

Long-term variability in the abundance of populations depends on the sensitivity of species to environmental fluctuations and the amplification of environmental fluctuations by interactions among species. Although competitive interactions and species number may have diverse effects on variability measured at the individual species level, a combination of theoretical analyses shows that these factors have no effect on variability measured at the community level. Therefore, biodiversity may increase community stability by promoting diversity among species in their responses to environmental fluctuations, but increasing the number and strength of competitive interactions has little effect.

Comments

Copyright 1999 American Association for the Advancement of Science

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Publication Title

Science

Published Citation

Ives, A. R., Gross, K., & Klug, J. L. (1999). Stability and variability in competitive communities. Science, 286(5439), 542-544. doi:10.1126/science.286.5439.542.

DOI

10.1126/science.286.5439.542

Peer Reviewed

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