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Science 20 April 1979:
Vol. 204. no. 4390, pp. 335 - 336
DOI: 10.1126/science.204.4390.335
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Articles

A Theory of Diversity Equilibrium and Morphological Evolution

JEFFREY S. LEVINTON 1

1 Department of Ecology and Evolution, State University of New York, Stony Brook 11794

If the world can only support a finite amount of biomass, species might be added over time, with a decrease in population size of an average species. Population sizes of species will decrease to the extent that stochastic events eliminate species as fast as others appear, yielding an equilibrium. A resource diversity control of niche subdivision is therefore not needed to generate an equilibrium number of species. Morphological evolution may decelerate over time for similar reasons.

Submitted on September 28, 1978
Revised on January 12, 1979


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