Comments on: Rethinking the way we study ecological succession http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/2008/04/13/rethinking-the-way-we-study-ecological-succession/ Science, religion and politics from a Trinidadian plant ecologist Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:53:35 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Ian http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/2008/04/13/rethinking-the-way-we-study-ecological-succession/#comment-2181 Ian Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:37:47 +0000 http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/?p=705#comment-2181 You're right inasmuch as modern views of succession (especially Johnson and Miyanishi) tend to see colonisation rates as far more important than the whole facilitation sequence that was originally envisioned. On the other hand, while I have not kept up with the literature on the competition-colonisation tradeoff, I get the impression that it has fallen out of fashion, it it may also be too broad a generalisation. [Yes, I know, there are at least 3 more blog posts that I could do - should do, really - based on that one paper.] You’re right inasmuch as modern views of succession (especially Johnson and Miyanishi) tend to see colonisation rates as far more important than the whole facilitation sequence that was originally envisioned.

On the other hand, while I have not kept up with the literature on the competition-colonisation tradeoff, I get the impression that it has fallen out of fashion, it it may also be too broad a generalisation.

[Yes, I know, there are at least 3 more blog posts that I could do - should do, really - based on that one paper.]

]]> By: s http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/2008/04/13/rethinking-the-way-we-study-ecological-succession/#comment-2180 s Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:07:19 +0000 http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/?p=705#comment-2180 I could be wrong, but I thought succession these days was usually seen in terms of an adaptive trade-off between competition and colonization. Traits which make you a good colonizer (many offspring, long dispersal, rapid growth, small size etc.) make you a weak competitor. Plants don't make the environment less hospitable for their own offspring, it just happens that the ones who usually arrive first (good colonizers) are eventually out-competed by species that arrive later (good competitors). I could be wrong, but I thought succession these days was usually seen in terms of an adaptive trade-off between competition and colonization. Traits which make you a good colonizer (many offspring, long dispersal, rapid growth, small size etc.) make you a weak competitor. Plants don’t make the environment less hospitable for their own offspring, it just happens that the ones who usually arrive first (good colonizers) are eventually out-competed by species that arrive later (good competitors).

]]> By: Larry Ayers http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/2008/04/13/rethinking-the-way-we-study-ecological-succession/#comment-2179 Larry Ayers Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:48:50 +0000 http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/?p=705#comment-2179 A very nice and well-written summary! As a layman, so to speak, and an amateur naturalist, I appreciate your efforts here. A very nice and well-written summary! As a layman, so to speak, and an amateur naturalist, I appreciate your efforts here.

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