Consequences of plant-herbivore coevolution on the dynamics and functioning of ecosystems

Loeuille, N., Loreau, M., & Ferriere, R. (2002). Consequences of plant-herbivore coevolution on the dynamics and functioning of ecosystems. Journal of Theoretical Biology 217 (3) 369-381. 10.1006/jtbi.2002.3032.

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Abstract

The potential consequences of plantherbivore coevolution for ecosystem functioning are investigated using a simple nutrient-limited ecosystem model in which plant and herbivore traits are subject to adaptive dynamics. Although the ecological model is very simple and always reaches a stable equilibrium in the absence of evolution, coevolution can generate a great diversity of dynamical behaviors. The evolutionary dynamics can lead to a stable equilibrium. If the evolution of plants is fast enough, certain values of the trade-off parameters lead to complex evolutionary cycles bounded by physiological constraints. The dynamical behavior of the model is very different when the dynamics of inorganic nutrient is ignored and plant competition is modeled by a logistic growth function. This emphasizes the importance of including explicit nutrient dynamics in studies of plantherbivore coevolution.

Item Type: Article
Research Programs: Adaptive Dynamics Network (ADN)
Bibliographic Reference: Journal of Theoretical Biology; 217(3):369-381 (7 August 2002)
Depositing User: IIASA Import
Date Deposited: 15 Jan 2016 02:13
Last Modified: 27 Aug 2021 17:37
URI: https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/6531

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