Explaining the diversity of species living in any one locality on the earth is a difficult problem in ecology and evolutionary biology. Critical to this problem is understanding the mechanisms that inhibit species loss by allowing competing species to coexist with one another. Although many theoretical mechanisms of species coexistence have been proposed, testing these mechanisms in the field with confidence has been extremely difficult. Hence, there is still much controversy over which mechanisms operate in any one location, and which mechanisms are most important more generally. This project will develop powerful new ways of testing species coexistence mechanisms. The research products will be new experimental designs and associated statistical tests for species coexistence mechanisms. This work is based on recent advances by the PI and collaborators in quantifying the strengths of species coexistence mechanisms hypothesized to be important in variable environments. A major component of this work will be theoretical investigations of species coexistence mechanisms to achieve a better understanding of complex situations that go beyond current models. The results of this research will also be useful to policy makers regarding land management and species conservation efforts. An important aspect of this project will be the training of young researchers in quantitative ecological skills, both mathematical and statistical. This project will continue a strong tradition in the PI's lab of training a diverse group of young scientists with strong representation from under-represented groups.
