Community structure and species co-occurrence: a basis for developing broader generalizations.

Few broad generalizations of community structure or species co-occurrence have been determined. Studies in this area have: 1) concentrated on habitat and taxon specific generalizations, 2) excluded life cycle stages, 3) ignored alternative and simultaneous selective forces, 4) been biased toward temperate zones, and 5) been primarily short term studies. By using these problems to identify characteristics necessary for future test organisms and by designing tests of species co-occurrence on latitudinal gradients, the next stage of studying communities can better reveal emergent generalizations. -from Author