A neutral metapopulation model of biodiversity in river networks

Rachata Muneepeerakul, Joshua S. Weitz, Simon Asher Levin, Andrea Rinaldo, Ignacio Rodriguez-Iturbe

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

78 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this paper, we develop a stochastic, discrete, structured metapopulation model to explore the dynamics and patterns of biodiversity of riparian vegetation. In the model, individual plants spread along a branched network via directional dispersal and undergo neutral ecological drift. Simulation results suggest that in comparison to 2-D landscapes with non-directional dispersal, river networks with directional dispersal have lower local (α) and overall (γ) diversities, but higher between-community (β) diversity, implying that riparian species are distributed in a more localized pattern and more vulnerable to local extinction. The relative abundance patterns also change, such that higher percentages of species are in low-abundance, or rare, classes, accompanied by concave rank-abundance curves. In contrast to existing theories, the results suggest that in river networks, increased directional dispersal reduces α diversity. These altered patterns and trends result from the combined effects of directionality of dispersal and river network structure, whose relative importance is in need of continuing study. In addition, riparian communities obeying neutral dynamics seem to exhibit abrupt changes where large tributaries confluence; this pattern may provide a signature to identify types of interspecific dynamics in river networks.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)351-363
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Theoretical Biology
Volume245
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 21 2007

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Immunology and Microbiology
  • Applied Mathematics
  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
  • Statistics and Probability
  • Modeling and Simulation

Keywords

  • Biodiversity
  • Directional dispersal
  • Metapopulation
  • Neutral
  • River network

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