Biodiversity could be explained by theory of oscillations
mongabay.com
November 30, 2006
New work on the theory of coupled oscillators may help explain some ecological mysteries including the number and types of species in an ecosystem and possibly extinction, according to a paper published in the December 2006 issue of BioScience.
The paper, written by John Vandermeer, a Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan, "shows how extensions of established theory suggest that many animal and plant populations oscillate in synchrony because of interactions such as predation and competition" according to a news release from the American Institute of Biological Sciences. Vandermeer says that such synchronization can have far-reaching effects and may shed light on poorly understood biological phenomena like the higher-than-expected diversity of plankton in aquatic ecosystems.
Caterpillars in Peru. Photo by Rhett Butler
The American Institute of Biological Sciences elaborates: "Physicists know that even a weak coupling between oscillating systems can yield synchronized oscillations [but] Biologists have only in recent years started to explore the implications for their subject. But it is already clear that coupled oscillating biological populations can give rise to potentially important effects such as "synchronized chaos": the interaction between two weakly competing consumers of a food resource can be transformed by the arrival of a third competitor to provide unpredictable opportunities for the newcomer to invade."
Vandermeer hopes that his research will lead to insights into complex biological systems like predator-prey relations and the distribution and abundance of biodiversity.
This article is based on a news release from the American Institute of Biological Sciences.
MONGABAY.COM
Mongabay.com seeks to raise interest in and appreciation of wild lands and wildlife, while examining the impact of emerging trends in climate, technology, economics, and finance on conservation and development (more)
