Temporal Dynamics and Ecological Process

A unique compilation of papers on the emergent topic of temporal dynamics in community ecology, ecosystem biology and evolution.

Colleen K. Kelly (Edited by), Michael G. Bowler (Edited by), Gordon A. Fox (Edited by)

9780521198639, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 16 January 2014

333 pages, 68 b/w illus. 11 tables
23.5 x 15.6 x 2 cm, 0.66 kg

'The idea that species can have good years and bad years will be familiar to any observer of the natural world, but this volume takes the idea a step further: if different species have different good years then there is the basis of a mechanism that can allow competing species to coexist in a community. How species coexist in diverse communities, without one or a few outcompeting the many is a key question in our understanding of how biological communities are assembled.' Ian Powell, The Biologist

In contrast with the fundamental ecological expectation that similarity induces competition and loss of species, temporal dynamics allows similar species to co-occur. In fact, the coexistence of similar species contributes significantly to species diversity and could affect ecosystem response to climate change. However, because temporal processes take place over time, they have often been a challenge to document or even to identify. Temporal Dynamics and Ecological Process brings together studies that have met this challenge and present two specific aspects of temporal processes: reproductive scheduling and the stable coexistence of similar species. By using plants to extract general principles, these studies uncover deep ties between temporal niche dynamics and the above central ecological issues, thereby providing a better understanding of what drives temporal processes in nature. Written by leading scientists in the field, this title will be a valuable source of reference to research ecologists and those interested in temporal ecology.

1. Introduction Colleen K. Kelly, Michael G. Bowler and Gordon A. Fox
Part I. Observing Temporal Processes in Nature: 2. The storage effect: definition and tests in two plant communities Peter Chesson, Nancy J. Huntly, Stephen H. Roxburgh, Marissa Pantastico-Caldas and José M. Facelli
3. What temporal processes in trees tell us about competition, community structure and speciation Colleen K. Kelly, Michael G. Bowler, Gordon A. Fox, J. Arturo Solís-Magallanes, J. Marcela Ramos-Tapia, Pilar Lopera Blair, Susan Schwinning, John N. Williams and Jeffrey B. Joy
4. Testing the storage effect with long-term, observational data Peter B. Adler
5. Seedling herbivory and the temporal niche Mick E. Hanley and Rebecca J. Sykes
6. Temporal variation in density dependence in an herbaceous community Norma L. Fowler and Craig M. Pease
7. Population and community dynamics in variable environments: the desert annual system D. Lawrence Venable and Sarah Kimball
8. Temporal niches, ecosystem function, and climate change Susanne Schwinning, Gordon A. Fox and Colleen K. Kelly
Part II. Application to Specific Questions: 9. Evolution of synchronized and intermittent reproduction (masting) of trees: key role of regeneration dynamics Yoh Iwasa, Akiko Satake and Yuuya Tachiki
10. Spatiotemporal variation can promote coexistence more strongly than temporal variation Robin E. Snyder
11. Roles of pollinator attraction and environmental fluctuation in inducing flowering synchrony Akiko Satake, Yuuya Tachiki and Yoh Iwasa
12. Temporal dynamics and the spread of insect resistance transgenes Michael G. Bowler, Felix Breden and Colleen K. Kelly
13. Concluding remarks Gordon A. Fox, Michael G. Bowler and Colleen K. Kelly
Index.

Subject Areas: Environmental monitoring [TQD], Environmental science, engineering & technology [TQ], Conservation of the environment [RNK], The environment [RN], Plant ecology [PSTS], Botany & plant sciences [PST]