Understanding diversity pattersn and their relation to fundamental niche differentiation among species

了解多样性模式及其与物种间基本生态位分化的关系

• 批准号: 355486-2008
• 负责人: Pither, Jason
• 金额: $ 1.09万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2011-01-01 至 2012-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=482710
• 关键词: Understanding; diversity; pattersn; their; relation

Ecologists often make simplifying assumptions about the degree to which species that are found together within communities differ from one-another. Such assumptions are necessary because details concerning the ecologies of most species remain unknown. One widely held assumption, which stems from conventional niche theory, is that coexisting species are different enough that their respective distributions and abundances are governed primarily by the suitability of the local environment, and only minimally by competition with other species, or by regional-scale processes such as dispersal. In practice, this 'environmental determinism' assumption will be violated to varying degrees, and this has implications for both basic and applied ecology research. My research uses both data-mining techniques and computer simulations of ecological communities to ascertain when, where, and by how much we should expect the environmental determinism assumption to be violated. It also seeks to understand how violations of the environmental determinism assumption might affect the performance of predictive models in ecology, such as those used in global change research, and in environmental monitoring and assessment programs.

生态学家经常对共同生活在群落中的物种之间的差异程度做出简化的假设。 这种假设是必要的，因为大多数物种的生态细节仍然未知。 一个广泛接受的假设，这源于传统的生态位理论，是共存的物种是不同的，他们各自的分布和丰度主要是由当地环境的适宜性，只有最低限度地通过与其他物种的竞争，或通过区域尺度的过程，如扩散。 在实践中，这种“环境决定论”的假设将在不同程度上被违反，这对基础和应用生态学研究都有影响。 我的研究同时使用数据挖掘技术和计算机模拟生态群落，以确定何时，何地，以及我们应该期望环境决定论假设被违反的程度。 它还试图了解违反环境决定论假设可能会影响生态学预测模型的性能，例如用于全球变化研究以及环境监测和评估计划的预测模型。