Framgångsrika och produktiva ekosystem präglas av hög rörlighet

En teoretisk studie och simulation prövade hur rörligheten och spridningsgraden för arter påverkar ekosystems produktivitet, dvs deras förmåga att producera en stor mängd levande materia. I simulationerna fann man ett tydligt samband mellan arters rörlighet och ekosystemets produktivitet:

The scientific team behind this new research found that both the biodiversity and productivity of an ecosystem are at a peak when there is an intermediate rate of dispersal of species - not too little and not too much - between different parts of the ecosystem. When there is little or no dispersal, populations of species that remain in harsh areas of an ecosystem are unable to adapt to their environment due to a low population size and lack of genetic variation. Conversely, when there is too much dispersal in an ecosystem, species evolve to be 'generalists' that can survive in many habitats, but fail to thrive in any given one.

Mer i Science Daily.