Abstract
This article summarizes the history, formulation, and results of neutral theory in ecology. The motivation for the development of neutral theory is outlined, including its foundations in the theories of molecular evolution and island biogeography. The authors provide an explicit mathematical formulation of Hubbell's original neutral model, and outline the predictions of this model and subsequent refinements and extensions. Nonneutral models are discussed, and they summarize the prospects for future development.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Encyclopedia of Biodiversity |
| Subtitle of host publication | Second Edition |
| Publisher | Elsevier Inc. |
| Pages | 510-518 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780123847195 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780123847201 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2013 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Biodiversity
- Biogeography
- Community ecology
- Neutral theory
- Null models
- Spacial models
- Species abundances
- Species richness
- Species-area relationship
- Theoretical ecology
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
- General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology