Interspecific density dependence
According to the AIC score, the optimal models for αCGand αGC were the GAM parametric term (G. f) model and the GAM interaction model, respectively (Table 2). Among the αCG candidate models, five had ΔAIC scores < 2, and among the αGC candidate models, one had a ΔAIC score < 2 (Table 2).
Similar to intraspecific density dependence (Fig. 4c, d; Figs. S2, S3, Supporting Information), the strength of interspecific density dependence decreased as the intrinsic growth rate of each species increased, whereas the intrinsic growth rate of the opposite species had little effect (Fig. 4c, d). However, the intrinsic growth rate of the opposite species exerted a slightly stronger effect than in the case of intraspecific density dependence (Fig. 4c, d). For αGC, the isoline interval decreased as rC increased (Fig. 4d).