Metacommunity dynamics in heterogeneous landscapes

Abstract

In order to understand biodiversity patterns, we need to take into account not only local dynamics, but how they connect over a regional scale. Because of that, the metacommunity approach (that is, ecological communities linked by dispersal) is one of the most active fields in ecology nowadays. Ecologists recognize that there is no general metacommunity theory yet, in part due to the lack of basic mathematical models that deal with some fundamental issues.The proposed project aims to fill one of the gaps, which is the development of mathematical models of metacommunities in heterogeneous and explicitly described space. We will use the theory and toolbox from dynamical systems, as well as methods and results coming from metapopulation theory, and from the study of food web modules in community ecology. The specific goals are the development and analysis of mathematical models that (i) generalize the concept of metapopulation capacity with heterogeneous rates in metacommunities, (ii) express the effect of environmental heterogeneity on inter-specific interactions (with emphasis on intraguild predation), (iii) and display the effect of characteristics of the landscape and of the species on the metacommunity dynamics. (AU)