Abstract
Part of the current dogma in ecology is that competition between species for limited resources is not only common but also a major organizing force in many communities1,2 largely because studies on vertebrates, particularly birds, have played a major role in creating the traditional framework of niche theory and resource partitioning3–9. Other workers, particularly those studying insect communities, have suggested that significant interspecific competition is too rare and sporadic to be of major significance and have placed more emphasis on autecological processes10–13. Efforts to resolve the controversy have concentrated on the question of whether or not competition is common in nature1. Here we show that even where competition can be demonstrated, it need not have a major role in community organization.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Schoener, T. W. Am. Nat. 122, 240–285 (1983).
Roughgarden, J. Am. Nat. 122, 583–601 (1983).
Cody, M. L. Competition and the Structure of Bird Communities (Princeton University Press, 1974).
Diamond, J. M. in Ecology and Evolution of Communities (eds Cody, M. L. & Diamond, J. M.) 342–444 (Harvard University Press, 1975).
Diamond, J. M. Am. Scient. 66, 322–331 (1978).
Lack, D., Ecological Isolation in Birds (Harvard Univeristy Press, 1971).
MacArthur, R. H. in Avian Biology Vol. 1 (Academic, New York, 1971).
Pianka, E. E. . in Ecology and Evolution of Communities (eds Cody, M. L. & Diamond, J. M.) 292–314 (Harvard University Press, 1975).
Roughgarden, J., Heckel, D. & Fuentes, E. . in Lizard Ecology (eds Huey, R. B., Pianka, E. R. & Schoener, T. W.) 371–410 (Harvard University Press, 1983).
Andrewartha, H. G. & Birch, L. C., The Distribution and Abundance of Animals (Chicago University Press, 1954).
Lawton, J. H. & Strong, D. R. Am. Nat. 118, 317–338 (1981).
Strong, D. R., 122, 636–660 (1983).
Connell, J. H. in Ecology and Evolution of Communities (eds Cody, M. L. & Diamond, J. M.) 460–490 (Harvard University Press, 1975).
Shorrocks, B. in Genetics and Biology of Drosophila Vol. 3b (eds Ashburner, M., Carson, H. L. & Thompson, J. N. Jr) 385–428 (Academic, London, 1982).
Atkinson, W. D. & Shorrocks, B. J. Anim. Ecol. 50, 461–471 (1981).
Hassell, M. P. & Comins, H. N. Theor. Pop. Biol. 9, 202–221 (1976).
May, R. M. & Ives, A. R. . J. theor. Biol. (in the press).
Nicholson, A. J. Aust. J. Zool. 2, 9–65 (1965).
Ayala, F. J. Nature 224, 1076–1079 (1969).
Ayala, F. J. in Essays in Evolution and Genetics in Honor of Theodosius Dobzhansky (eds Hecht, M. K. & Steere, W. C.) 121–158 (Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1970).
Ayala, F. J. Am. Scient. 60, 348–357 (1972).
Ayala, F. J., Gilpin, M. E. & Ehrenfeld, J. G. Theor. Pop. Biol. 4, 331–356 (1973).
DeBenedictis, P. A. Ecology 58, 158–166 (1977).
Miller, R. S. Ecology 45, 132–148 (1964).
Atkinson, W. D. & Shorrocks, B. Am. Nat. (in the press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shorrocks, B., Rosewell, J., Edwards, K. et al. Interspecific competition is not a major organizing force in many insect communities. Nature 310, 310–312 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/310310a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/310310a0
This article is cited by
-
Multi-species coexistence in Lotka-Volterra competitive systems with crowding effects
Scientific Reports (2018)
-
The impact of the introduced Digitonthophagus gazella on a native dung beetle community in Brazil during 26 years
Biological Invasions (2018)
-
Rapid response to abiotic and biotic factors controls population growth of two invasive drosophilids (Diptera) in the Brazilian Savanna
Biological Invasions (2015)
-
Tradeoffs, competition, and coexistence in eastern deciduous forest ant communities
Oecologia (2013)
-
Coadapted changes in energy metabolites and body color phenotypes for resistance to starvation and desiccation in latitudinal populations of D. melanogaster
Evolutionary Ecology (2012)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.