Seed Predation and the Coexistence of Tree Species: Hubbell's Models Revisited

Abstract

From a crown-packing model evaluated at equilibrium, Hubbell concluded that spacing of conspecific adults can account for little of the observed tree species richness in tropical forests. Using computer simulations in a nonequilibrium approach, we show that a given level of species richness is maintained longer with intraspecific spacing than without it. The quantitative importance of this effect in real forests is difficult to evaluate.