A. Measurement of niche parameters as evidence of competition
1. Niche breadth
2. Niche separation
3. Niche overlap
4. Niche shifts
B. Mechanisms of competitive exclusion
1. Interference
2. Exploitation
C. Fundamental vs realized niche
D. Survey of field competition experiments Gurevitch et al. 1992
1) What is the overall magnitude of competition in field Experiments? competition had large effects on density and especially biomass
2) Do competitive effects differ among trophic levels?
Herbivores and filter feeders - strong competition
Producers and carnivores - moderate competition
Deposit feeders - low competition
3) Do large organisms experience greater effects of competition than small organisms?
Size had little effect
4) How do results from caged and uncaged experiments differ?
Competition effects were more marked in caged experiments
5) Are there differences between marine freshwater and terrestrial systems?
6) In intra specific competition greater than inter specific competition?
7) Is competition among terrestrial plants greater in regions of high primary productivity?
Primary producers T ~ M ~ FW
Intra specific ~ interspecific
High productivity < low Productivity
Carnivores T ~ M ~ FW
Herbivores Intra specific > Interspecific
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