Competition-colonization trade-offs, competitive uncertainty, and the evolutionary assembly of species.

ABSTRACT: We utilize a standard competition-colonization metapopulation model in order to study the evolutionary assembly of species. Based on earlier work showing how models assuming strict competitive hierarchies will likely lead to runaway evolution and self-extinction for all species, we adopt a continuous competition function that allows for levels of uncertainty in the outcome of competition. We then, by extending the standard patch-dynamic metapopulation model in order to include evolutionary dynamics, allow for the coevolution of species into stable communities composed of species with distinct limiting similarities. Runaway evolution towards stochastic extinction then becomes a limiting case controlled by the level of competitive uncertainty. We demonstrate how intermediate competitive unce

SUBMITTER: Pillai P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3308991 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature