title: Evolution of specialization in resource utilization in structured metapopulations.
abstract: We study the evolution of resource utilization in a structured discrete-time metapopulation model with an infinite number of patches, prone to local catastrophes. The consumer faces a trade-off in the abilities to consume two resources available in different amounts in each patch. We analyse how the evolution of specialization in the utilization of the resources is affected by different ecological factors: migration, local growth, local catastrophes, forms of the trade-off and distribution of the resources in the patches. Our modelling approach offers a natural way to include more than two patch types into the models. This has not been usually possible in the previous spatially heterogeneous models focusing on the evolution of specialization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of Turku, FIN-20014, Turku, Finland. tuomas.nurmi@utu.fi
authors.forename: Tuomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nurmi
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geritz
authors.forename: Kalle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Parvinen
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gyllenberg
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004463:Ecology / Q000379:methods; D017753:Ecosystem; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009154:Mutation; D011156:Population Density; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011336:Probability; D013038:Specialization