Figure 2.

Schematic of species interactions in a patchy resource environment. (a) For the focal species, grey indicates ℱr ≫ 1, the L–T region where the focal consumer can move to resource patches. Horizontal hatching indicates 𝒮tr ≫ 1, the L–T region where the focal consumer can reproduce in resource patches. Within the union of these two regions, patchiness increases access to resources for the focal consumers compared with a spatially uniform resource distribution; elsewhere, patchiness reduces availability. Vertical hatching indicates ℒe ≫ 1, the L–T region where the focal consumer can remove resource patches. Within the intersection of this region with the ℱr ≫ 1, 𝒮tr ≫ 1 region the focal consumer can be a dominant competitor; outside this intersection, exclusion of other consumers is unlikely. (b) A conjectured requirement is that to persist within this union despite competition from the dominant focal consumer, a subdominant consumer must have higher ℱr (i.e. a shorter T_search, indicated by ℱr_critical occurring at lower L and T) and/or higher 𝒮tr (i.e. a shorter T_reprod, indicated by 𝒮tr_critical occurring at lower T but lower ℒe (i.e. a longer T_consumpt, indicated by ℒe_critical occurring at higher T).