Some species flourish when many do not: a pattern in data on ecological communities

Abstract Patterns in species × sample tables of communities depend above all on the organisms data sets and conditions involved. that surpass individual are special interest. Our question, looking for a shared pattern 12 sets, is if relative abundances among independent sample, or formulated alternatively, have correlated with total over samples. For exploration we study overdispersion/aggregation data. A relatively high variation samples noticed, indicating an effect environmental variation. Overdispersion imposes constraints accommodation abundance values to low abundance. The null hypothesis ‘no association’ modelled by permutation/resampling at level individual. correlation actual permuted performed. All contain significant number defy our question. These flourish when many do not. relation question issues theoretical ecology, such as assumption neutral and/or characteristics species, discussed.