Scientist

Faculty of Biology
Aquatic Ecology
Universitätsstrasse 5
D-45141 Essen
Germany

Room S05T03B02
Phone: +49.201.18.33313
Fax: +49.201.18.32179
sebastian.borgmann@uni-due.de

Coevolution, competition, and coexistence: the effects of eco-evolutionary dynamics for adaptation in plankton communities

Observed patterns of biodiversity indicate that numerous competing species can paradoxically coexist, despite that resources in nature are limited. The coexistence of multiple species relies on how they partition resources—reflected in their degree of niche overlap—and their overall competitive abilities. However, coexistence is not static; it can change with environmental conditions, and both mechanisms can evolve. Resolving their evolutionary basis is critical to predict the consequences of rapid anthropogenic change on communities.

The COMPEX (Coevolution, competition, and coexistence) Project aims to experimentally investigate these dynamics in plankton communities using outdoor mesocosms. The study focuses on two Daphnia species—Daphnia magna and Daphnia pulex—under varying nutrient levels and in different competitive scenarios. The goal is to monitor community and ecosystem dynamics, and test, in a factorial design, for impacts of competition (one or two Daphnia species present) and of an environmental stressor. Experiments and statistical models will be used to test for shifts in evolutionary trajectories and to map phenotypic, demographic, and community shifts.