Gilad E, Shachak M, Meron E
Department of Physics, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel.
Theor Popul Biol. 2007 Sep;72(2):214-30. doi: 10.1016/j.tpb.2007.05.002. Epub 2007 May 21.
A mathematical model for plant communities in water-limited systems is introduced and applied to a mixed woody-herbaceous community. Two feedbacks between biomass and water are found to be of crucial importance for understanding woody-herbaceous interactions: water uptake by plants' roots and increased water infiltration at vegetation patches. The former acts to increase interspecific competition while the latter favors facilitation. The net interspecific interaction is determined by the relative strength of the two feedbacks. The model is used to highlight new mechanisms of plant-interaction change by studying factors that tilt the balance between the two feedbacks. Factors addressed in this study include environmental stresses and patch dynamics of the woody species. The model is further used to study mechanisms of species-diversity change by taking into consideration tradeoffs in species traits and conditions giving rise to irregular patch patterns.
介绍了一种适用于水分受限系统中植物群落的数学模型，并将其应用于一个木本-草本混合群落。研究发现，生物量与水分之间的两种反馈对于理解木本植物与草本植物之间的相互作用至关重要：植物根系对水分的吸收以及植被斑块处水分入渗的增加。前者会加剧种间竞争，而后者则有利于促进作用。种间净相互作用由这两种反馈的相对强度决定。该模型通过研究影响两种反馈平衡的因素，来突出植物相互作用变化的新机制。本研究涉及的因素包括环境胁迫和木本物种的斑块动态。该模型还通过考虑物种性状的权衡以及导致不规则斑块格局的条件，进一步用于研究物种多样性变化的机制。
