Mechanisms and Consequences of Resource Competition in a Desert Grassland

在这份提案中，P.I.建立了一个机械模型， 竞争，预测资源如何使用， 植物既影响个体的竞争能力， 人口水平的竞争结果沿着生产力 梯度。 该模型是基于分离的两个组成部分， 竞争能力：消耗资源的能力和 容忍资源枯竭。 利用这两种植物- 资源相互作用，以预测净植物-植物 相互作用是复杂的，因为相互作用的相对大小 植物决定是好的驱逐者还是好的耐受者， 上级竞争对手，因为消耗和耐受性 能力是由不同的植物性状决定的。 的 研究人员对这些问题进行了具体的预测， 并描述了在沙漠中测试它们的实验 草原群落这种模式应该有显着的 对许多植物群落，包括那些濒危植物 国际吧

In this proposal the P.I. develops a mechanistic model of competition that makes predictions about how resource use by plants influences both individual competitive ability and the population-level outcome of competition along productivity gradients. The model is based on separating two components of competitive ability: ability to deplete resources and ability to tolerate depleted resources. Using these two types of plant- resource interactions to predict the outcome of net plant-plant interactions is complex because the relative sizes of interacting plants determine whether good depletors or good tolerators are the superior competitors and because depletion and tolerance abilities are determined by different plant traits. The investigators develops specific predictions about these relationships and describe experiments to test them in a desert grassland community such models should have significant implication for many plant communities, included those endangered worldwide.