DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Population Dynamics and Species Diversity of Decomposers of Patchy Substrates

9623523穆勒这项研究的目的是研究分解资源的真菌的种群动态和物种多样性，例如木材、树叶或粪便，这些资源分布在离散的斑块中。生态学家从消费物种(如植物、食草动物等)的模型中得出结论。这种斑驳可以让两个物种在区域范围内共存，即使它们不能在局部范围内共存，但还没有关于分解者的类似工作。在这项研究中，基于消费者的模型已被修改，使其适用于分解者。分解者模型预测，在斑块内，竞争的结果取决于(1)斑块的初始资源密度，(2)分解物种的资源需求，(3)物种繁殖所需的能量，以及(4)物种将资源转化为储存能量的效率。斑块间竞争的结果取决于(1)斑块内竞争的结果，(2)所涉及物种的扩散能力，(3)新斑块进入环境的速率。从模型可以推断，那些促进两个物种共存的因素也将促进多个物种的共存，从而增加物种多样性。更好地了解分解者之间的竞争有许多潜在的应用，包括：(1)制定打击经济上有害的分解者的战略，(2)确定竞争如何影响养分循环，这可能会影响农业和生物修复实践，以及(3)制定保护物种多样性的方法。

9623523 Mueller The objective of this research is to examine the population dynamics and species diversity of fungi which decompose resources, such as wood, leaves, or dung, which are distributed in discrete patches. Ecologists have concluded from models of consumer species (e.g., plants, herbivore, etc.) that patchiness can allow two species to coexist on a regional scale even if they cannot coexist on a local scale, but there has been no comparable work with decomposers. For this study, consumer based models have been altered to make them applicable to decomposers. The decomposer model predicts that within a patch the outcome of competition is controlled by (1) initial resource density of the patch, (2) resource requirements of the decomposer species, (3) the amount of energy a species needs to reproduce, and (4) the efficiency of the species at converting resources to stored energy. The outcome of competition over many patches is controlled by (1) the outcome of within patch competition, (2) the dispersal ability of the species involved, and (3) the rate of input of new patches into the environment. It can be inferred from the models that those factors which promote coexistence of two species will also promote the coexistence of multiple species and thus increase species diversity. A better understanding of competition between decomposers has many potential applications including: (1) developing strategies to fight economically harmful decomposers, (2) determining how competition affects nutrient cycling, which could potentially impact agricultural and bioremediation practices, and (3) developing methods for conserving species diversity.