Assembly rules are rare in SE Australian bird communities, but sometimes apply in fragmented agricultural landscapes

摘要: Assembly rules have been difficult to observe partly because species interactions vary with resource availability, the amount of disturbance, and richness. Using bird survey data from two years in five regions SE Australia (463 sites), we tested six predictions assembly theory. We developed generalised linear models for all pair-wise comparisons within a region, after first taking vegetation differences among sites into account. found: 1) that disturbed fragmented agricultural landscapes had more negative relationships aggressive honeyeaters monopolised patches; 2) between wet dry (high low resources) were attributed emigration, immigration, reduced intensity year, not intense competition; 3) although correlations expected ecologically-similar species, observed opposite pattern significant positive associations landscapes; 4) involving led as predicted; however, this was only every year; 5) landscapes, there fewer species-richness sites, probably one each pair abundance. This enabled us suggest dominance pairs; 6) evidence low-disturbance predicted. However, instead mechanism predicted by theory (reduced disruption allowing processes approach equilibrium), disturbance represent resources worthy defence dominant species. conclude communities are rarely limited interactions, feature landscapes. diverse mechanisms underlie temporal spatial variation when they do occur, meaning simple statements may be useful these systems.