How important is individual variation to population, community and ecosystem dynamics?
There are quite a few papers online about individual variation and population dynamics in biology
Infraspecific trait variation (ITV), especially when strong phenotypic differences exist, can have important cascading effects (strength and form) at the community and wider ecosystem level. Differences in life history for example among populations would be a good example of an ITV that can shape community structure and subsequently ecosystem function.
Dear Agam, during my investigations with ciliated protists (more than 40 years) I noted several interesting facts of parallel existing of 2-3 different populations of some species in one water body. It was visible in mainly in body length that differ sometimes twice! But this means 8 (!) times difference in body mass and BM in 0.75 power proportion of energy flow. As well smaller populations have other trophic spectrum of feeding. As well I noted more frequent appearance of 2-3 populations of one species in small ponds that are satellites of large basins like reservoirs on large rivers.
Andrey
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