Collaborative Research: Testing Community Theories with Trait-by-Gradient Correlations: A Comparative and Experimental Approach in Ponds

多种生态因素影响着种群动态、群落结构和生态系统功能。研究环境梯度与沿梯度占据不同地点的物种特征之间的关系是评价影响物种在不同地点间分布的多层次机制之一。这个项目将使用这种方法，通过结合实验方法和最近开发的统计方法，即第四角技术，来测试一组机制模型的预测。它将在操纵营养、光和营养结构的中生态系统中进行长期实验，以研究生态、形态和化学计量性状如何与这些因素相关。将收集信息，将第四个角矩阵中的模式直接与池塘中水生食物网调节的两个主要替代假设的预测和假设联系起来。

Leibold & SmithDEB-9815799 & 9816192Multiple ecological factors influence the dynamics of populations, the structure of communities and the functioning of ecosystems. One mechanism to evaluate the multiple levels that influence the distribution of species among sites is to focus on the relationship between environmental gradients and the traits of species that occupy different sites along gradients. This project would use this approach by testing the predictions of a set of mechanistic models by combining experimental approaches and recently developed statistical methods, the 4th corner technique. It will conduct long-term experiments in mesocosms that manipulate nutrients, light and trophic structure to investigate how ecological, morphological and stoichiometric traits are correlated with these factors. Information will be collected to relate patterns in 4th corner matrices directly to the predictions and assumptions of two major alternative hypotheses for the regulation of aquatic food webs in ponds.