Science. 1978 Mar 24;199(4335):1302-10. doi: 10.1126/science.199.4335.1302.
The commonly observed high diversity of trees in tropical rain forests and corals on tropical reefs is a nonequilibrium state which, if not disturbed further, will progress toward a low-diversity equilibrium community. This may not happen if gradual changes in climate favor different species. If equilibrium is reached, a lesser degree of diversity may be sustained by niche diversification or by a compensatory mortality that favors inferior competitors. However, tropical forests and reefs are subject to severe disturbances often enough that equilibrium may never be attained.
热带雨森林中常见的树木多样性和热带珊瑚礁中的珊瑚多样性是一种非平衡状态，如果不再受到进一步干扰，它们将朝着低多样性的平衡群落发展。如果气候的逐渐变化有利于不同的物种，这种情况就不会发生。如果达到平衡，通过生态位分化或有利于较差竞争者的补偿性死亡，可能会维持较低的多样性程度。然而，热带森林和珊瑚礁经常受到严重干扰，以至于可能永远无法达到平衡。
