Ecosystem engineers: From pattern formation to habitat creation
Habitat and species richness in drylands are affected by the dynamics of a few key species, termed "ecosystem engineers." These species modulate the landscape and redistribute the water resources so as to allow the introduction of other species. A mathematical model is developed for a pair...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Physical review letters 2004-08, Vol.93 (9), p.098105.1-098105.4 |
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Hauptverfasser: | , , , , |
Format: | Artikel |
Sprache: | eng |
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Zusammenfassung: | Habitat and species richness in drylands are affected by the dynamics of a few key species, termed "ecosystem engineers." These species modulate the landscape and redistribute the water resources so as to allow the introduction of other species. A mathematical model is developed for a pair of ecosystem engineers commonly found in drylands: plants forming vegetation patterns and cyanobacteria forming soil crusts. The model highlights conditions for habitat creation and for high habitat richness, and suggests a novel mechanism for species loss events as a result of environmental changes. |
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ISSN: | 0031-9007 1079-7114 |
DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.098105 |