Abstract

AbstractThe competitive exclusion principle postulates that two trophically identical but fitness different species can not stably coexist in the same niche. However, this principle contradicts the observed nature's species richness. This fact is known as the biodiversity paradox. Here, using a simple cellular automaton model, we mechanistically show how two trophically identical, but fitness different species may stably coexist in the same niche. As environment is stable and any trade-offs are absent in this model, it strongly violates the competitive exclusion principle.

Highlights

  • A niche is a habitat, which is an optimal combination of all environmental conditions and resources for growth, survival, and reproduction of the species

  • On an idealised two-species competition model, we consider a special case when a niche and a habitat are synonyms as a habitat is the combination of all environmental conditions and resources which are optimal for life activity of both competitors

  • A model of competition is based on the pre-published method[1,2,3,4,5]

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Summary

Introduction

A niche is a habitat, which is an optimal combination of all environmental conditions and resources for growth, survival, and reproduction of the species. On an idealised two-species competition model, we consider a special case when a niche and a habitat are synonyms as a habitat is the combination of all environmental conditions and resources which are optimal for life activity of both competitors. We consider a competition of two species in an ecosystem consisting of three or four microhabitats (Figs 1 and 2, respectively).

Results
Conclusion

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