An experimental examination of colonization as a generator of biotic nestedness.

摘要: Species assemblages of systems islands and other fragmented habitats frequently show a "nested-subset" structure in which the biotas sites with low species richness are non-random subsets richer sites. Much literature suggests that extinction is more likely to produce strongly nested patterns than colonization, although very few experiments have been conducted on generation nested-subset patterns. Here, we describe an experiment nestedness benthic invertebrates occupying rocks littoral zone lake western Victoria, Australia. Data collected from previous work indicated invertebrate were nested. We used initially defaunated, different-sized habitat patches (half house-bricks, full double house-bricks) followed time-course occupation assess whether would emerge, or colonization best accounted for predicted increase through time up end experiment. This was found be case dominating establishment system; appeared relatively little importance over duration These results suggest at least some circumstances, differential may influential producing but longer times needed completely understand respective roles generating this system.