Strange invaders increase disturbance and promote generalists in an evolving food web.

ABSTRACT: The patterns of diet specialization in food webs determine community structure, stability, and function. While specialists are often thought to evolve due to greater efficiency, generalists should have an advantage in systems with high levels of variability. Here we test the generalist-disturbance hypothesis using a dynamic, evolutionary food web model. Species occur along a body size axis with three traits (body size, feeding center, feeding range) that evolve independently and determine interaction strengths. Communities are assembled via ecological and evolutionary processes, where species biomass and persistence are driven by a bioenergetics model. New species are introduced either as mutants similar to parent species in the community or as invaders, with dissimilar traits. We introduc

SUBMITTER: Morris JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8553831 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature