Intermediate disturbance in the ecology of phytoplankton and the maintenance of species diversity: a synthesis

This paper concludes a collection of contributions presented at the 8th Workshop of the International Association of Phytoplankton Taxonomy and Ecology. It derives a consensus as to the virtues and strengths of J. H. Connells Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis (IDH), its applicability to phytoplank- ton ecology and its theoretical and practical weaknesses. The view is expressed that the IDH is too useful a concept to reject and that, as a word model, it provides a powerful link between diversity and dis- turbance. The more robust investigations that are necessary to consolidate the tenancy of IDH need to concentrate upon the separation and quantification of the stimulus- and response-components of dis- turbance