Dataset for 'Context-dependent dispersal mutualisms mediate coexistence of unequal competitors in a metapopulation'

This repo contains code and data for manuscript titled 'Context-dependent dispersal mutualisms mediate coexistence of unequal competitors in a metapopulation'.

Mutualisms are context-dependent interactions, with their costs and benefits fluctuating in space and time. Due to their impact on species growth, mutualisms can mediate the coexistence of competing species. One such context-dependent mutualism is endozoochory, where frugivores acquire nutrition by predating on fruits while dispersing their seeds via excretion. The presence of costs and benefits in these mutualisms at different spatial scales and of different currencies (i.e. local predation vs global dispersal) necessitates developing mechanistic models to understand their dynamics. Here, we study how frugivory could engender coexistence between two competing plant species across connected habitats. By combining local population dynamics with ideas from metapopulation theory, we decipher the conditions under which dispersive mutualisms engender competitive coexistence across habitats. We find that frugivore dispersal, fruit consumption rates, and degree of specialisation all contribute to shaping the coexistence of competing fruiting plant species across patches.