Lottery, or neutral, models are most appropriately used for which types of communities?
A) Somewhat diverse communities in remote areas where other species are unlikely to enter
B) Unstable communities with changing species compositions and frequent disturbances
C) Communities with very low diversities, such as deserts and polar regions
D) Communities with low and erratic levels of resources, such as areas subject to periodic droughts
E) Highly diverse communities, such as tropical rainforest trees, which have many species with similar resource requirements

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lottery models are particularly suitable for highly diverse communities where many species have similar resource requirements, such as in tropical rainforests. These models suggest that species coexistence is largely due to chance events in the recruitment of individuals rather than deterministic competitive hierarchies.

Lottery, or Neutral, Models Are Most Appropriately Used for Which