SPECIES CO-OCCURRENCE: A META-ANALYSIS OF J. M. DIAMOND'S ASSEMBLY RULES MODEL

J. M. Diamond's assembly rules model predicts that competitive interactions between species lead to nonrandom co-occurrence patterns. We conducted a meta-analysis of 96 published presence–absence matrices and used a realistic “null model” to generate patterns expected in the absence of species interactions. Published matrices were highly nonrandom and matched the predictions of Diamond's model: there were fewer species combinations, more checkerboard species pairs, and less co-occurrence in real matrices than expected by chance. Moreover, nonrandom structure was greater in homeotherm vs. poikilotherm matrices. Although these analyses do not confirm the mechanisms of Diamond's controversial assembly rules…

• UO
  University of Vermont
• NC
  National Center For Environmental Assessment
• DO
  Division of Biological Infrastructure