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The importance of niches for the maintenance of species diversity

Author

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  • Jonathan M. Levine

    (Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA)

  • Janneke HilleRisLambers

    (University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA)

Abstract

Biodiversity: niches work If organisms are involved in a perpetual struggle for existence, how is it that communities are so diverse? The traditional answer is the ecological 'niche' — even at very small scales, environmental differences are enough to allow different species to coexist. Recently, the 'neutral theory' of biodiversity has suggested that this explanation is too complicated, and species are distributed more by chance effects. Jonathan Levine and Janneke HilleRisLambers test these ideas with an intriguing mix of experiment and theory, showing that diversity declines when niches are removed: in this round, at least, traditional explanations have the edge.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonathan M. Levine & Janneke HilleRisLambers, 2009. "The importance of niches for the maintenance of species diversity," Nature, Nature, vol. 461(7261), pages 254-257, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:461:y:2009:i:7261:d:10.1038_nature08251
    DOI: 10.1038/nature08251
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    Cited by:

    1. Dandan Liu & Anmin Huang & Dewei Yang & Jianyi Lin & Jiahui Liu, 2021. "Niche-Driven Socio-Environmental Linkages and Regional Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-17, January.
    2. Wanrui Zhu & Wenhua Li & Peili Shi & Jiansheng Cao & Ning Zong & Shoubao Geng, 2021. "Intensified Interspecific Competition for Water after Afforestation with Robinia pseudoacacia into a Native Shrubland in the Taihang Mountains, Northern China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-16, January.
    3. Yingming Yang & Xikai Wang & Yunlan He & Kaiming Zhang & Fan Mo & Weilong Zhang & Gang Liu, 2022. "Using Isotopic Labeling to Investigate Artemisia ordosica Root Water Uptake Depth in the Eastern Margin of Mu Us Sandy Land," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-16, November.
    4. Sergey Bartsev & Andrey Degermendzhi, 2023. "The Evolutionary Mechanism of Formation of Biosphere Closure," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-22, July.
    5. David García-Callejas & Ignasi Bartomeus & Oscar Godoy, 2021. "The spatial configuration of biotic interactions shapes coexistence-area relationships in an annual plant community," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    6. Zhang, Zeyu & Bearup, Daniel & Guo, Guanming & Zhang, Helin & Liao, Jinbao, 2022. "Competition modes determine ecosystem stability in rock–paper–scissors games," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 607(C).
    7. Gatti, Roberto Cazzolla & Hordijk, Wim & Kauffman, Stuart, 2017. "Biodiversity is autocatalytic," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 346(C), pages 70-76.
    8. Roberto Cazzolla Gatti & Roger Koppl & Brian D. Fath & Stuart Kauffman & Wim Hordijk & Robert E. Ulanowicz, 2020. "On the emergence of ecological and economic niches," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 99-127, July.
    9. Inga Dirks & Juliane Streit & Catharina Meinen, 2021. "Above and Belowground Relative Yield Total of Clover–Ryegrass Mixtures Exceed One in Wet and Dry Years," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-15, March.
    10. Jian-Xiong Huang & Jian Zhang & Yong Shen & Ju-yu Lian & Hong-lin Cao & Wan-hui Ye & Lin-fang Wu & Yue Bin, 2014. "Different Relationships between Temporal Phylogenetic Turnover and Phylogenetic Similarity and in Two Forests Were Detected by a New Null Model," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(4), pages 1-7, April.
    11. Shengman Lyu & Jake M. Alexander, 2022. "Competition contributes to both warm and cool range edges," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    12. Yang, Yiling & Xiong, Kangning & Xiao, Jie, 2024. "A review of agroforestry biodiversity-driven provision of ecosystem services and implications for karst desertification control," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    13. Lan Zhang & Guowen Huang & Yongtao Li & Shitai Bao, 2021. "Quantitative Research Methods of Linguistic Niche and Cultural Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-12, August.
    14. Meena S Sritharan & Ben C Scheele & Wade Blanchard & David B Lindenmayer, 2021. "Spatial associations between plants and vegetation community characteristics provide insights into the processes influencing plant rarity," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(12), pages 1-18, December.
    15. Wojciech Bierza & Joanna Czarnecka & Agnieszka Błońska & Agnieszka Kompała-Bąba & Agnieszka Hutniczak & Bartosz Jendrzejek & Jawdat Bakr & Andrzej M. Jagodziński & Dariusz Prostański & Gabriela Woźnia, 2023. "Plant Diversity and Species Composition in Relation to Soil Enzymatic Activity in the Novel Ecosystems of Urban–Industrial Landscapes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-18, April.

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