Ecology and evolution of competitive trait variation in natural phytoplankton communities under selection.

ABSTRACT: Competition for limited resources is a major force in structuring ecological communities. Species minimum resource requirements (R*s) can predict competitive outcomes and evolve under selection in simple communities under controlled conditions. However, whether R*s predict competitive outcomes or demonstrate adaptive evolution in naturally complex communities is unknown. We subjected natural phytoplankton communities to three types of resource limitation (nitrogen, phosphorus, light) in outdoor mesocosms over 10 weeks. We examined the community composition weekly and isolated 21 phytoplankton strains from seven species to quantify responses to the selection of R* for these resources. We investigated the evolutionary change in R*s in the dominant species, Desmodesmus armatus. R*s were good

SUBMITTER: Gallego I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9828480 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature