| Fig. 34. A conceptual model indicating the opposing influence on biological diversity of factors that generate heterogeneity and those that generate homogeneity. The level of biological diversity is a net result of the factors that make opportunities available for different species, as opposed to those that remove opportunities. The introduction of aggressive exotic competitors that are more generalized and can preempt the place of more specialized or limited native species or the introduction of disease or consumer organisms that directly remove the native species from the systems because of deaths can cause additional deficits in diversity beyond those reflecting loss of heterogeneity. | |
