Niche Overlap as a Function of Environmental Variability

摘要: Abstract The relationship between environmental variability and niche overlap is studied for a class of model biological communities in which several species compete on one-dimensional continuum resources, e.g., food size. In strictly unvarying (deterministic) environment, there general no limit to the degree overlap, short complete congruence. However, fluctuating (stochastic) average sizes adjacent resource spectrum must differ by an amount roughly equal standard deviation size taken either individual species. This mathematical result emerges nonobvious yet robust way fluctuations whose variance relative their mean ranges from around 0.01% 30%. short, effective real world, this insensitive fluctuation, unless it be very severe. Recent field work, particularly bird guilds, seems harmony with model's conclusion.