On ecosystems dynamics

Extinction dynamics of Lotka-Volterra ecosystems on evolving networks.

We study a model of a multispecies ecosystem described by Lotka-Volterra-like equations. Interactions among species form a network whose evolution is determined by the dynamics of the model. Numerical simulations show power-law distribution of intervals between extinctions, but only for ecosystems with sufficient variability of species and with networks of connectivity above certain threshold t...

Dynamics and Management of Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems

Eco-evolutionary dynamics of communities and ecosystems

1. We review theoretical and empirical studies to identify instances where evolutionary processes significantly affect the dynamics of populations, communities and ecosystems. 2. Early theoretical work on eco-evolutionary dynamics was concerned with the effect of (co)evolution on the stability of two-species predator–prey systems and the occurrence of character displacement in simple competitiv...

Dead Wood Dynamics in Stream Ecosystems

Large woody debris (LWD: > 10 cm diameter and > 1 m in length) in stream channels of forested regions in North America is an essential ecosystem component. This article summarizes information from the literature on the spatial and temporal variability of LWD abundance, distribution and age; the processes of LWD delivery and elimination; and the influence of LWD on material retention, habitat fo...

Source and sink dynamics in meta-ecosystems.

We present a theory extending the source-sink concept with an ecosystem perspective. We analyze a model for meta-ecosystem dynamics in a heterogeneous environment to study how the spatial flows of materials such as inorganic nutrients and nutrients sequestered into producers, herbivores, and detritus affect the community dynamics. We show that spatial flows of an inorganic nutrient (direct nutr...