TY  - JOUR
A1  - Hovestadt, Thomas
A1  - Poethke, Hans J.
A1  - Messner, Stefan
T1  - Variability in dispersal distances generates typical successional patterns: a simple simulation model
N2  - More recently, it became clear that conclusions drawn from traditional ecological theory may be altered substantially if the spatial dimension of species interactions is considered explicitly. Regardless of the details of these models, spatially explicit simulations of ecological processes have nearly universally shown that spatial or spatio-temporal patterns in species distributions can emerge even from homogeneous starting conditions; limited dispersal is one of the key factors responsible for the development of such aggregated and patchy distributions (cf., Pacala 1986, Holmes et al. 1994, Molofsky 1994, Tilman 1994, Bascompte and Sole 1995, 1997, 1998, Jeltsch et al. 1999). In line with these ideas, we wish to draw attention to the fact that in heterogeneous landscapes differences in characteristic dispersal distances between species are a sufficient precondition for the emergence of a successional pattern. We will use a simple, spatially explicit simulation program to demonstrate the validity of this statement. We will also show that the speed of the successional progress depends on scale and heterogeneity in the distribution of suitable habitat.
KW  - community
KW  - competition
KW  - environments
KW  - habitats
KW  - life-history
Y1  - 2000
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-48178
ER  -