Species Diversity and Abundance in Insular Systems

“岛屿系统中的物种多样性和繁殖”DEB 9981912 T.W。Schoener和D.A. Spiller，PIs这项研究继续了对食物网的研究，食物网是指在生态群落中哪些物种吃哪些物种的关系。 我们模拟入侵的大型捕食者到岛屿上有各种各样的小型捕食者以及食草动物和植物。 这种捕食者不仅可以通过消费产生深刻的直接影响，而且可以通过干预物种间接影响其他组成部分，包括植物。 这种间接影响可能是积极的或消极的：例如，大型捕食者可能会吃掉以植物为食的昆虫（阳性），或吃掉以植物为食的昆虫（阴性）的小型捕食者。 除了数量变化外，还研究了受影响物种的行为和形态变化。 该实验是在一个岛屿系统中进行的，其中许多岛屿近二十年来一直受到自然入侵和破坏的监测。 计划中的监测包括对最近的飓风弗洛伊德造成的破坏和恢复情况的广泛记录，这是一场毁灭性的4级风暴。 这个项目的结果应该大大提高我们的理解如何大的自然干扰影响生态系统的动态。

"Species Diversity and Abundance in Insular Systems"DEB 9981912T.W. Schoener and D.A. Spiller, PIsThis research continues a study of food webs, relations that specify which species eat which in an ecological community. We simulate invasion of a large predator onto islands having a variety of small predators as well as herbivores and plants. Such predators may not only exert profound direct effects by consumption, but via intervening species, can indirectly affect other components, including plants. Such indirect effects may be positive or negative: e.g., the large predator may consume insects that eat plants (positive), or consume small predators that eat the plant-eating insects (negative). In addition to changes in numbers, changes in behavior and morphology of affected species are studied. The experiment is performed within a system of islands, many of which have been monitored for natural invasions and extinctions for nearly two decades. Planned monitoring includes extensive documentation of damage and recovery from the recent Hurricane Floyd, a devastating, Category 4 storm. Results of this project should significantly enhance our understanding of how large natural disturbances affect the dynamics of ecological systems.