- Ecologists recognize the importance of integrating across scales, yet our models often target specific scales. Our new paper presents models of population growth that scale up to explain community-level patterns, including interactions of temperature, light & nutrients. doi.org/10.1002/ecm....Dec 9, 2025 14:41
- At the population level, when birth and death rates increase exponentially with temperature, net growth follows the expected *unimodal* shape (thermal performance curve, TPC), with properties that change predictably with resource limitation.
- At the community level, collections of many *unimodal* population-level TPCs yield maximum interspecific growth rates that increase *exponentially* with temperature (the Eppley curve). These, too, are altered predictably by resource limitation.
- Lastly, we show that our predictions, and ideas from Metabolic theory, are consistent with patterns in large compilations of data on the growth of autotrophic AND heterotrophic microbes, including different underlying responses to temperature.
- This work grew from conversations and collaborations that persisted over eight years, through a postdoc, COVID, and two faculty positions. Work with great people, and don’t give up on your passion projects!
- Thanks to @mridulkthomas.bsky.social @chrisklausmeier.bsky.social @elenalitchman.bsky.social @esajournals.bsky.social & NSF support.
