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Potential Articles https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competition%E2%80%93colonization_trade-off Expand on what is in the current article. There are multiple scientific articles about this topic in regard to different species. Could provide examples of when this occurs within different populations. There is nothing on the talk page.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoresis_(biology) Provide more evidence and examples for the topic. The talk page is not well-developed and it is a topic of mid-importance. It would be beneficial to provide more references and expand the stub that is currently present.

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Both topics are great choices and could be expanded upon greatly. Be sure to make a literature search on both topics before deciding which to develop. You may find that, aside from examples of systems/species, there is not much currently known. ~jpethier

Competition-colonization Trade-off Used to explain species coexistence, in which case some species are particularly good at colonizing and some have well-established survival abilities. Coexistence is typically favoured when a species lacks the ability to colonize and when the competition trade-off is mild. This trade-off is normally described by assessing patches of habitats that are linked via migration and colonizations. These patches are also subject to various disturbances that test a species ability to survive. A mathematical model is used to depict the competition-colonization trade-off, in which a species colonization rate, extinction rate, and its competition index are quantified.

I plan to contribute background information on the assigned topic, in which I can discuss the mathematical model used to analyze the competition-colonization trade-off. I can also talk about how the trade-off has changed since it was first proposed (I think 1951). There are also multiple articles that talk about the framework of the proposed topic and give many examples that range from plant species to animal species. There was slight scrutiny around the topic as well, which lead researchers to further expand on ways to quantify and different rules that enabled the trade-off theory to become more accurate in certain populations.

Draft:

The Competition-Colonization Trade-off has been used to explain species coexistence, in which case some species are particularly good at colonizing and others have well-established survival abilities.

The concept of the competition-colonization trade-off was originally proposed by Levins and Culver, the model indicated that two species could coexist if one had impeccable competition skill and the other was excellent at colonizing. The model indicates that there is typically a trade-off, in which a species is typically better at either competing or colonizing. A later model, labelled The Lottery Model was also proposed, in which interspecific competition is accounted for within the population.

Mathematical Models:

Levins and Culver Model:

dp1/dt = c1p1(1 - p1) - m1p1. dp2/dt = c2p2(1 - p1 - p2) - m2p2 - c1p1p2.

Where: pi = fraction of patches that are occupied by a species(i). ci = colonization rate of species(i). mi = mortality rate, independent of patch density.

Species 1 = competitor, can colonize in area that is not inhabited by species 2 (1 - p1).

Species 2 = colonizer, can only colonize in uninhabited areas (1 - p1 - p2).

Species 2 is subject to predator displacement (- c1p1p2).

If species 2 has a higher colonization rate it can coexist with species 1 (c2 > c12/m).

This model is described as the displacement competition model, it has been observed in marine mollusks and fungi. This model makes two large assumptions: 1. "a propagule of a superior competitor takes over a patch from an adult of the inferior competitor". 2. The adult must be displaced fast enough to ensure that it does not reproduce while it is being displaced.

Lottery Model:

dp1/dt = c1(f/(f + p2))p1(h - p1 - p2) m1p1. dp2/dt = c2(g/(g + p1))p2(h - p1 - p2) m2p2.

Colonization rate is now described by interspecific competition.

(f/(f + p2)) and (g/(g + p1)). Both f and g > 0.

An increase in p1 is related to a decrease in the colonization rate of species 2.

g < f implies a competitive advantage of species 1 and c2 > c1 implies a colonization advantage for species 2.

In Plants:

The competition-colonization trade-off theory has primarily been used to examine and describe the dispersal-linked traits of a plant's seeds. Seed size is a primary feature that relates to a species ability to colonize or compete within a given population, the effect of seed size was displayed in dicotyledonous annual plants. Turnbull and colleagues indicated that the competition/colonization trade-off has a stabilizing effect on the population of plants.