Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- List of contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Part I Nonequilibrium and Equilibrium in Populations and Metapopulations
- Part II Nonequilibrium and Equilibrium in Communities
- Part III Equilibrium and Nonequilibrium on Geographical Scales
- Part IV Latitudinal Gradients
- Part V Effects Due to Invading Species, Habitat Loss and Climate Change
- Part VI Autecological Studies
- Part VII An Overall View
- 25 The importance of interspecific competition in regulating communities, equilibrium vs. nonequilibrium
- 26 Evolutionarily stable strategies: how common are they?
- 27 How to conserve biodiversity in a nonequilibrium world
- Index
- References
25 - The importance of interspecific competition in regulating communities, equilibrium vs. nonequilibrium
from Part VII - An Overall View
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2013
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Edited by
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- List of contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Part I Nonequilibrium and Equilibrium in Populations and Metapopulations
- Part II Nonequilibrium and Equilibrium in Communities
- Part III Equilibrium and Nonequilibrium on Geographical Scales
- Part IV Latitudinal Gradients
- Part V Effects Due to Invading Species, Habitat Loss and Climate Change
- Part VI Autecological Studies
- Part VII An Overall View
- 25 The importance of interspecific competition in regulating communities, equilibrium vs. nonequilibrium
- 26 Evolutionarily stable strategies: how common are they?
- 27 How to conserve biodiversity in a nonequilibrium world
- Index
- References
Summary
The view that competition is an important “regulatory” factor in nature is widespread among ecologists. A discussion of the evolutionary significance of interspecific competition is therefore crucial in the context of this book.
Definitions, kinds of competition, historical considerations, factors that bring about competition, and examples of the effects of competition on species and populations were discussed in detail in Rohde (2005). Here we restrict ourselves to a brief outline of the points made in that book, supplemented by evidence presented in the various chapters of the present book.
Definition, limiting factors responsible for competition, and occurrence of competition
Interspecific competition can be defined as an interaction between individuals of different species that arises because of shared requirements for a limiting resource, leading to reduced survival, growth and/or reproduction of at least some of the individuals (adapted from Begon et al., 1996), although Levin (1970) has shown that resource limitation is not the only factor involved. Thus, even two species that feed on different food resources that are not in limited supply cannot indefinitely coexist if they are limited by the same predator. An important criterion for species coexistence is that limiting factors (whether food resource, predation, etc.) differ and are independent.
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- Chapter
- Information
- The Balance of Nature and Human Impact , pp. 371 - 384Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2013
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