Hello there, I am a Biology master student in my last year and I am looking for some new input/ideas about the "big picture" in theoretical ecology to understand the relationships and dynamics in a community entirely. I read the book "Ecology" from Begon, Harper and Townsend and really liked the thought proccesses and suggestions the authos gave and now I want to complete the story. I would be happy to get some recommendations for publications, books and, preferred online lectures from other universities or, if someone would be happy to talk about that in person via skype.
To start a discussion: What do you think are the (main) forces that structures a community?
What are important compensating /stabilizing factors for a population(e.g. migration, predation(parasitoids), competition)?
Can coexistence occur (long term) without niche differentiation? What are the needed conditions?
its a very interesting thought that needs resource collection brain storming and combined conclusion i guess
For a forest, one main force structuring a community = seed dispersal
A compensating or stabilizing factor = density dependent mortality
Coeexistence: when two species differentiate their niches, they tend to compete less strongly, and are thus more likely to coexist; this is because two species cannot occupy the same exact niche in a habitat and coexist together, at least in a stable manner
Andrew Paul McKenzie Pegman Thanks for your contribution! Do you also think that lateral root movement(for example:exploring ephemeral gaps) is important or not at all?
And what force is important when the population for example does not reach the abundance where density dependence occurs?There are, for example, studies complain that herbivorous insects are 1) never limited in their ressources 2) and are never in a competitive situation.
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