The 'filtering' metaphor revisited: competition and environment jointly structure invasibility and coexistence.

ABSTRACT: 'Filtering', or the reduction in species diversity that occurs because not all species can persist in all locations, is thought to unfold hierarchically, controlled by the environment at large scales and competition at small scales. However, the ecological effects of competition and the environment are not independent, and observational approaches preclude investigation into their interplay. We use a demographic approach with 30 plant species to experimentally test: (i) the effect of competition on species persistence in two soil moisture environments, and (ii) the effect of environmental conditions on mechanisms underlying competitive coexistence. We find that competitors cause differential species persistence across environments even when effects are lacking in the absence of competition

SUBMITTER: Germain RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6127124 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature