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
Hauptverfasser: GILAD, E, VON HARDENBERG, J, PROVENZALE, A, SHACHAK, M, MERON, E
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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.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.098105