title: Disturbance accelerates the transition from low- to high-diversity state in a model ecosystem.
abstract: The effect of disturbance on a model ecosystem of sessile and mutually competitive species [Mathiesen et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 188101 (2011); Mitarai et al., Phys. Rev. E 86, 011929 (2012)] is studied. The disturbance stochastically removes individuals from the system, and the created empty sites are recolonized by neighboring species. We show that the stable high-diversity state, maintained by occasional cyclic species interactions that create isolated patches of metapopulations, is robust against small disturbance. We further demonstrate that finite disturbance can accelerate the transition from the low- to high-diversity state by helping the creation of small patches through diffusion of boundaries between species with standoff relations.
authors.affiliation: Center for Models of Life, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Botta
authors.affiliation: Center for Models of Life, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Namiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mitarai
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D017753:Ecosystem; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011157:Population Dynamics