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: 2012
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2012-01-01 至 2013-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=497475
• 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.

生态学家经常对社区中发现的物种的程度进行简化的假设，这与另一个人不同。 这样的假设是必要的，因为有关大多数物种生态的细节仍然未知。 一个广泛持有的假设源于常规的利基理论，是共存的物种足够不同，以至于它们各自的分布和丰度主要受当地环境的适用性，并且仅通过与其他物种的竞争或区域规模的过程（如分散）所致。 实际上，这种“环境决定论”的假设将在不同程度上违反，这对基本和应用生态学研究都有影响。 我的研究使用生态社区的数据挖掘技术和计算机模拟来确定何时，何处和应该期望违反环境确定性假设。 它还试图了解如何违反环境决定论的假设可能会影响生态学预测模型的性能，例如在全球变化研究以及环境监测和评估计划中使用的模型。