Animal personality in a foundation species drives community divergence and collapse in the wild.

摘要: Despite thousands of papers on the topic, precious few studies animal personality have considered role in shaping community-level processes. Here, we test effect individual variation long-term trajectories biological communities, from initiation to their demise. The spider Anelosimus studiosus builds webs that serve as habitat for >50 species spider, which together construct a species-rich silken reef. This also exhibits temporally consistent behavioural polymorphism where females exhibit either an aggressive or docile phenotype (personality). In this study, established incipient colonies two and then tracked community succession persistence over 7 years field. particular, noted compositions associated with colony extinction/collapse events, are common species. composition founded by different phenotypes diverged rapidly early successional stages. However, period divergence was ephemeral all communities eventually converged similar composition; merely took longer reach it. secondary stage convergence itself short-lived independent founders' personality; collapsed within year achieving Experimentally imposing fatal climax caused 80% collapse year, suggesting actually causes community. Community characterized complete die-off foundation dispersal other spiders. Thus, traits founding, foundational individuals these dictate path longevity wild.