A unifying principle for multispecies coexistence under resource fluctuations

Abstract Resource fluctuations are ubiquitous in nature and yet are generally assumed to play a limited role in the maintenance of biodiversity. We challenge this assumption by analyzing resource competition dynamics under conditions where traditional theory fails. We show that multi-species coexistence can be sustained when species are able to specialise on different temporal patterns of resource variability, including the asymmetries and periodic extremes commonly observed in natural systems. We further show how this partitioning of the statistical moments of the resource distribution provides a unified framework for explaining coexistence in variable resource environments. A theory of diversity maintenance based on moment partitioning highlights the potential for anthropogenic changes in resource regimes to drive cascading biodiversity losses.