Abstract
We carried out a theoretical investigation of whether ecological character displacement can be caused by reproductive interference. Our model assumes that a quantitative character is associated with both resource use and species recognition, and that heterospecific mating incurs costs. The model shows that ecological character displacement can occur as a consequence of evolution of premating isolation; this conclusion is based on the premise that resource competition is less intense between species than within species and that the ecological character also contributes to premating isolation. When resource competition between species is intense, extinction of either species may occur by competitive exclusion before ecological character divergence. Some observational studies have shown that character displacement in body size is associated with not only resources use but also species recognition. We propose that body size displacement can occur as a consequence of evolution of premating isolation. Our results suggest that ecological character displacement results from reproductive character displacement.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 354-364 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Journal of Theoretical Biology |
Volume | 247 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2007 Jul 21 |
Keywords
- Adaptive radiation
- Body size
- Competitive exclusion
- Reproductive character displacement
- Resource competition
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Statistics and Probability
- Modelling and Simulation
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Immunology and Microbiology(all)
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Applied Mathematics