A keystone mutualism drives pattern in a power function |
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Authors: | Vandermeer John Perfecto Ivette |
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Institution: | Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. jvander@umich.edu |
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Abstract: | Data that can be described by a power function are ubiquitous in nature. Although there is consensus that such data frequently emerge generally from nonlinear complex systems, a variety of specific mechanisms may be responsible for creating the pattern in particular cases. Here, we report on the distribution of a scale insect (Coccus viridis) that is a common agricultural pest. Its distribution in an organic coffee farm in southern Mexico generally follows a power function, but there are subtle deviations from that function. We offer a biological explanation for both adherence to the power functions and associated deviations, along with supporting evidence. |
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