Ostling lab

The Ostling lab focuses on competitive coexistence. 

Biodiversity in nature can be puzzlingly high in the light of competition between species, which arguably should eventually result in a single winner. The coexistence mechanisms that allow for this biodiversity shape the dynamics of communities and ecosystems.  

Our research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of competitive coexistence, how competition influences community structure and diversity, and what insights observed patterns of community structure might provide about competitive coexistence. 

Theory development and modeling dominate in our research, but we have a particular interest in tightening linkages between theoretical and empirical work, and also carry out analyses of available data, and in some cases collect our own data if what we need is not available. We develop theory that is broadly applicable, but are especially interested in coexistence of tree species in forests, and in linking coexistence mechanisms with patterns of trait variation.  

Broader interests of the lab also include macroecological spatial scaling patterns and their use in estimating extinction, as well as the influence of large-scale biodiversity loss on ecosystem function.