QEIB: Multitrophic Diversity Maintenance Theory

群落生态学的一个主要挑战是了解在任何特定地点维持物种多样性的机制。 捕食者的存在可以改变通常的预测，这些预测仅仅基于对资源的竞争和资源需求，传统的观点是捕食减少了竞争，允许更高的多样性。 然而，数学模型表明，捕食可以增加，减少，或没有影响的物种多样性取决于情况。 尽管掠食者的潜在影响很大，但对这些情况的了解却很少。因此，这一建议是建立一个更好的理论理解，可检验的预测，通过发展一个全面的数学理论的捕食在多样性维护的作用。人类对环境的影响对捕食者物种产生了重大影响，可能对多样性的维持产生重大影响。此外，捕食在外来物种的入侵和影响中的作用备受争议。因此，这项工作将提供一个更强大的理论基础，保护和入侵物种的管理，同时提供更强的预测生态学的实证研究。 这项工作还将包括在生态学中应用数学方面的重要培训内容，特别是对妇女和少数民族的培训。

A major challenge in community ecology is understanding the mechanisms that maintain the diversity of species in any given locality. The presence of predators can modify the usual predictions based on competition for resources and resource needs alone, with the conventional wisdom being that predation reduces competition and allows higher diversity. However, mathematical models imply that predation can increase, decrease, or have no effect on species diversity depending on the circumstances. These circumstances are poorly understood, even though the potential effects of predators are large. Thus, this proposal is to create a better theoretical understanding, with testable predictions, by developing a comprehensive mathematical theory of the role of predation in diversity maintenance. Human impacts on the environment have had major effects on predator species, with the potential for large consequences for diversity maintenance. Moreover, predation has a much debated role in the invasion and impacts of nonnative species. Thus, this work will provide a stronger theoretical basis for conservation and invasive species management, while providing stronger predictions for empirical studies in ecology. This work will also have an important training component in the application of mathematics in ecology, especially by women and minorities.