Individual differences determine the strength of ecological interactions.

ABSTRACT: Biotic interactions are central to both ecological and evolutionary dynamics. In the vast majority of empirical studies, the strength of intraspecific interactions is estimated by using simple measures of population size. Biologists have long known that these are crude metrics, with experiments and theory suggesting that interactions between individuals should depend on traits, such as body size. Despite this, it has been difficult to estimate the impact of traits on competitive ability from ecological field data, and this explains why the strength of biotic interactions has empirically been treated in a simplistic manner. Using long-term observational data from four different populations, we show that large Trinidadian guppies impose a significantly larger competitive pressure on conspeci

SUBMITTER: Griffiths JI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7382284 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature