Competitive Exclusion in an Artificial Foraging Ecosystem

Abstract: Artificial ecosystems provide an additional experimental tool to support laboratory work, field work, and theoretical development in competitive exclusion research. A novel application of a spatiotemporal agent based model is presented which simulates two foraging species of different intrinsic growth rates competing for the same replenishing resource in stable and seasonal environments. This experimental approach provides precise control over the parameters for the environment, the species, and individual movements. Detailed trajectories of these non-equilibrium populations and their characteristics are produced. Narrow zones of potential coexistence are identified within the environmental and intrinsic growth parameter spaces. An example of commensalism driven by the local spatial dynamics is identified. Results of these experiments are discussed in context of modern coexistence theory and research in movement-mediated community assembly. Constraints on possible origination scenarios are identified.