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The Meaning and Measurement of Frequency‐Dependent Competition
Author(s) -
DeBenedictis Paul A.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1935117
Subject(s) - competition (biology) , storage effect , frequency dependent selection , meaning (existential) , ecology , econometrics , frequency dependence , biology , economics , evolutionary biology , psychology , computer science , physics , artificial intelligence , selection (genetic algorithm) , psychotherapist , nuclear magnetic resonance
This paper criticises use of the concept of frequency—dependent competition. The usual definition of frequency—dependent competition, based on deWit's Replacement Series Analysis is trivial in the sense that it admits no interesting alternative hypotheses. A more general definition is proposed: competition is frequency—dependent whenever per individual competitive effects vary with species frequency. Frequency—dependent competition may be distinguished from density—dependent competition. Replacement Series Analysis, although a useful indicator of possible competitive interactions, is incapable of discriminating between frequency—dependent and frequency—independent competition as defined herein. Data reported by previous investigators are reanalyzed and found generally to support the claim that Drosophila competition is frequency—dependent. However, these data do not eliminate the possibility that changes in competitive abilities are simply density—dependent. Little other evidence of the phenomenon exists.