Abstract
A reinterpretation of the broken-stick model is presented, where instead of being proportional to relative abundance, segment lengths are proportional to niche distances along a single resource continuum. The model assumes that resource utilization means are located independently of one another along the continuum. Appropriate empirical data from guilds of stem-boring insects, tropical humming-birds and predatory cone snails utilizing niche dimensions of food (insects and hummingbirds) and habitat (cone snails) are presented and found to be in good agreement with the model. Such agreement, and attention to the ordering of niche distances along the continuum, suggests that for the single resource continuua considered competition may not be a strong selective force within these assemblages. In this light, potential use of the model is discussed with reference to detecting competitive structure within single resource continuua.
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