Niche tradeoffs, neutrality, and community structure: A stochastic theory of resource competition, invasion, and community assembly

Stochastic niche theory resolves many of the differences between neutral theory and classical tradeoff-based niche theories of resource competition and community structure. In stochastic niche theory, invading species become established only if propagules can survive stochastic mortality while growing to maturity on the resources left unconsumed by established species. The theory makes three predictions about community structure. First, stochastic niche assembly creates communities in which species dominate approximately equally wide "slices" of the habitat's spatial heterogeneity. These niche widths generate realistic distributions of species relative abundances for which, contrary to neutral theory but…