Although priority effects describe how the temporal order of species’ arrivals affects their interactions, time is often not a focus of relevant theories. Rather, theories of priority effects emphasize “alternative states” that arise from time-independent species interactions. While studies in fast-generating systems (microbes, protists) are often used to develop and validate theories, studies in slow-generating systems (amphibians, plants) are rarely compatible with theoretical assumptions because their interactions are often time-dependent. It’s time to bridge this disconnect between theory and practice and develop a unifying framework of priority effects. It’s time to talk about time.
