摘要
Here we clarify some of the assumptions made in the application of the two most commonly used indices for measuring the strengths of species interactions with manipulative removal/addition experiments: Paine's index and the dynamic index. We explain how the values these indices are intended to measure - the per capita interaction strength between two species - are typically not estimated in common currencies. We then introduce extensions to these indices that alleviate a subset of previously made assumptions and limitations. These include a reformulation of Paine's index appropriate for an open-recruitment system, and an extension of the dynamic index applicable to interactions of a particular nonlinear form. While we focus our language on predator-prey interactions, our discussions are pertinent to the measurement of species effects in other types of interactions as well (Mitchell and Wass 1996, Freckleton et al. 2009).
- 出版日期2010-7