Early-bird effect
{{Short description|Ecological effect}}
The early-bird effect is the advantage a species gains from rapidly using nutrients to establish a large initial population.{{cite journal |vauthors=Erez A, Lopez JG, Weiner BG, Meir Y, Wingreen NS |title=Nutrient levels and trade-offs control diversity in a serial dilution ecosystem |journal=eLife |volume=9 |issue= |pages= |date=September 2020 |pmid=32915132 |pmc=7486120 |doi=10.7554/eLife.57790 |doi-access=free |url=}} This initial population advantage can allow a population to persist when nutrients become scarce, even if competitor species are more efficient at extracting scarce nutrients.{{cite journal |vauthors=Erez A, Lopez JG, Meir Y, Wingreen NS |title=Enzyme regulation and mutation in a model serial-dilution ecosystem |journal=Phys Rev E |volume=104 |issue=4–1 |pages=044412 |date=October 2021 |pmid=34781576 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevE.104.044412 |arxiv=2104.09769 |bibcode=2021PhRvE.104d4412E |url=}} The effect can be seen when resources vary seasonally, and in laboratory conditions when serial dilutions are taken of microbe cultures.
Description
The early-bird effect arises in ecosystems where there is a time gap between nutrient addition and species removal. During this gap, species can grow and interact in complex ways. Fast-growing species that deplete their preferred resource early can, despite being less efficient per capita than their competitors, still dominate due to their increased numbers. This dynamic suggests extra benefits to growing fast and early, even at the cost of a penalty later. The early-bird effect may be particularly relevant for understanding changes in gut microbiota.{{cite journal |vauthors=Aranda-Díaz A, Willis L, Nguyen TH, Ho PY, Vila J, Thomsen T, Chavez T, Yan R, Yu FB, Neff N, Sanchez A, Estrela S, Huang KC |title=Assembly of stool-derived bacterial communities follows "early-bird" resource utilization dynamics |journal=Cell Systems |volume= |issue= |pages= |date=April 2025 |pmid=40157357 |pmc= |doi=10.1016/j.cels.2025.101240 |url=}}
Key characteristics
- Repeated Nutrient Addition and Removal: The effect is prominent in ecosystems with cycles of nutrient addition and species removal.
- Time Gap Dynamics: The critical period between nutrient addition and species removal allows for significant growth and interaction among species.
- Growth and Competitive Advantage: Fast-growing species that consume their preferred resource quickly gain a population advantage. This advantage persists even if these species become less efficient per capita compared to their competitors.
- Dynamic Nature of the Effect: Unlike a founder effect, which is dependent on initial conditions, the Early-Bird Effect is dynamic and continually influenced by the ongoing conditions in the ecosystem.
Research findings
Studies such as those by Erez et al. (2020), Lopez et al. (2023), and others have explored various aspects of this effect, including its impact on community diversity, species dominance, and the dynamics of microbial communities in response to environmental changes.
Implications
The Early-Bird Effect has significant implications for understanding ecosystem dynamics, species diversity,{{cite journal |vauthors=Kim Y, Flinkstrom Z, Candry P, Winkler MH, Myung J |title=Resource availability governs polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) accumulation and diversity of methanotrophic enrichments from wetlands |journal=Front Bioeng Biotechnol |volume=11 |issue= |pages=1210392 |date=2023 |pmid=37588137 |pmc=10425282 |doi=10.3389/fbioe.2023.1210392 |doi-access=free |url=}} and survival strategies in various environments. It highlights the importance of growth timing and resource utilization efficiency in competitive ecosystems.
In the context of evolution, beneficial mutations that affect late growth could confer a smaller advantage than those that are beneficial earlier in the cycle due to an "early-bird" effect.{{cite journal |last1=Meroz |first1=Nittay |title=Evolution in microbial microcosms is highly parallel, regardless of the presence of interacting species |journal=Cell Systems |date=October 16, 2024 |volume=15 |issue=10 |pages=930–940.e5 |doi=10.1016/j.cels.2024.09.007 |pmid=39419002 |url=https://www.cell.com/cell-systems/fulltext/S2405-4712(24)00271-0|url-access=subscription }}
Variations and extensions
- Single-Nutrient Early-Bird Effect: A variation observed in single-nutrient competition.{{cite journal |vauthors=Lopez JG, Hein Y, Erez A |title=Grow now, pay later: When should a bacterium go into debt? |journal=Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A |volume=121 |issue=16 |pages=e2314900121 |date=April 2024 |pmid=38588417 |doi=10.1073/pnas.2314900121 |pmc=11032434 |bibcode=2024PNAS..12114900L |url=}}
- Influence of Environmental Factors: Factors like nutrient amount and the balance between different nutrients play a crucial role in the manifestation of the Early-Bird Effect.