Petchey O L
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Cook College, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8511, USA.
Proc Biol Sci. 2000 Apr 22;267(1445):747-54. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2000.1066.
Single-species populations of ciliates (Colpidium and Paramecium) experienced constant temperature or white or reddened temperature fluctuations in aquatic microcosms in order to test three hypotheses about how environmental colour influences population dynamics. (i) Models predict that the colour of population dynamics is tinged by the colour of the environmental variability. However, environmental colour had no effect on the colour of population dynamics. All population dynamics in this experiment were reddened, regardless of environmental colour. (ii) Models predict that populations will track reddened environmental variability more closely than white environmental variability and that populations with a higher intrinsic growth rate (r) will track environmental variability more closely than populations with a low r. The experimental populations behaved as predicted. (iii) Models predict that population variability is determined by interaction between r and the environmental variability. The experimental populations behaved as predicted. These results show that (i) reddened population dynamics may need no special explanation, such as reddened environments, spatial subdivision or interspecific interactions, and (ii) and (iii) that population dynamics are sensitive to environmental colour, in agreement with population models. Correct specification of the colour of the environmental variability in models is required for accurate predictions. Further work is needed to study the effects of environmental colour on communities and ecosystems.
为了检验关于环境颜色如何影响种群动态的三个假设，在水生微宇宙中，对纤毛虫（肾形虫和草履虫）的单物种种群进行了恒温或白色或红色温度波动实验。（i）模型预测，种群动态的颜色会受到环境变异性颜色的影响。然而，环境颜色对种群动态的颜色没有影响。在本实验中，所有种群动态都是红色的，与环境颜色无关。（ii）模型预测，种群将比白色环境变异性更紧密地追踪红色环境变异性，并且内在增长率（r）较高的种群将比r较低的种群更紧密地追踪环境变异性。实验种群的表现符合预测。（iii）模型预测，种群变异性由r与环境变异性之间的相互作用决定。实验种群的表现符合预测。这些结果表明：（i）红色的种群动态可能不需要特殊解释，如红色环境、空间细分或种间相互作用；（ii）和（iii）种群动态对环境颜色敏感，这与种群模型一致。为了进行准确预测，模型中需要正确设定环境变异性的颜色。需要进一步开展工作来研究环境颜色对群落和生态系统的影响。
