Is local diversity limited by species pools or environmental conditions?
Tests across multiple productivity gradients. Houseman, Gregory1, 2, 1 Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI2 Kellogg Biological Station, Hickory Corners, MI ABSTRACT- Classic competition theory predicts that diversity is constrained by local species interactions through limited niche availability. However, more recent models and experiments suggest that diversity is dependent upon both species interactions and available species pools. Because species pools vary spatially, pool size may account for substantial variation in local diversity. I hypothesized that the effect of species pools on local diversity would vary along productivity gradients as the importance of abiotic constraints decrease and species interactions increase. I tested these ideas by augmenting species pools across four natural productivity gradients in SW Michigan. Seeds of species that were generally not present were added to intact plant communities in low, medium and high productivity environments in each si
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