Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms...

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Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence Glenda Yenni Department of Biology, Ecology Center Department of Math and Statistics Utah State University 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Transcript of Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms...

Page 1: Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence Glenda Yenni Department of Biology,

Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community

The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistenceGlenda YenniDepartment of Biology, Ecology CenterDepartment of Math and StatisticsUtah State University

2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Page 2: Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence Glenda Yenni Department of Biology,

Negative frequency dependence in growth rates

Enable species to increase when rare

Indication of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence (Chesson 2000, ‘niches’)

Empirical evidence in pair-wise interactions

A Niche for Neutrality, Adler et al 2007

Page 3: Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence Glenda Yenni Department of Biology,

Multi-species dominance and stabilization

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

-3-2

-10

12

3

Frequency

log

r

Fo Fo Fo

Fo = 0.2

S = -2

Fo = 0.6

S = -2

Fo = 0.15

S = -2

Fo = 0.15

S = -4

Page 4: Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence Glenda Yenni Department of Biology,

Portal LTREB

Chihuahuan desert Since 1977 20 ha, 24 plots

10 controls – equal access 8 k-rat (Dipodomys) exclosures 6 total rodent exclosures

Abundance, community E use

Page 5: Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence Glenda Yenni Department of Biology,

Portal LTREB

p=0.001, p=0.0004, p=0.004, p=0.007 p=0.000, p=0.03

Page 6: Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence Glenda Yenni Department of Biology,

Sevilleta LTER

p=0.0001, p=0.02, p=0.02 p=0.03, p=0.003 p=0.01

Page 7: Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence Glenda Yenni Department of Biology,

Coexistence

A Niche for Neutrality, Adler et al 2007

Page 8: Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence Glenda Yenni Department of Biology,

Coexistence predictions

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

-3-2

-10

12

3

Frequency

log

r

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

-3-2

-10

12

3

Frequency

log

r

+

++

++

++

++

+

++

++

++

+

+ +

++

++

+ +

++

+++

+

+

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

-3-2

-10

12

3

Frequency

log

r

+/- relationship btw strength of stabilization and mean population abundance 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

-3-2

-10

12

3

Frequencylo

g r

Stable coexistence

Competitive exclusion

+

+

+

----

--

Strength of stabilization

Fitn

ess

equi

vale

nce

Page 9: Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence Glenda Yenni Department of Biology,

Deterministic coexistence

+ positive relationship btw strength of stabilization and mean population abundance

- negative relationship btw strength of stabilization and mean population abundance

+/- coexistence

+/- competitive exclusion/stochastic extinction

Page 10: Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence Glenda Yenni Department of Biology,

Stochastic coexistence

+ positive relationship btw strength of stabilization and mean population abundance

- negative relationship btw strength of stabilization and mean population abundance

+/- coexistence

+/- competitive exclusion/stochastic extinction

Page 11: Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence Glenda Yenni Department of Biology,

Implications/ Future Directions

Rare species benefit from stronger negative frequency-dependence more than dominant species Strong stabilizing mechanisms aid persistence of non-

dominants in variable communities

Implications for the ability of changing regions (via invasive species, climate change) to maintain species richness

Explore entire coexistence space Apply to other coexistence models

Page 12: Coexistence patterns in a desert rodent community The relative importance of stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence Glenda Yenni Department of Biology,

Acknowledgments

Morgan Ernest for advising and support Peter Adler, Xiao Xiao Kate Thibault, Sarah Mohlman, and other past and future

fellow Portal RAs Selected Professions Fellowship, AAUW The Portal project is currently supported by NSF grant DEB-

0702875

Questions?