[1] Size-asymmetric competition has major effects on population structure and diversity within ecological communities.
[1] Various ecological processes and patterns have been shown to be affected by the degree of size asymmetry—e.g., succession,[11] biomass distribution,[2][12] grazing response,[7] population growth,[8] ecosystem functioning,[13] coexistence[14] and species richness.
[4][5][6][7] A large body of evidence shows that species loss following nutrient enrichment (eutrophication) is related to light competition.
[5][15][16] However, there is still a debate whether this phenomenon is related to the size asymmetry of light competition[5][6] or to other factors.
[19] Size-asymmetric competition affects also several evolutionary processes in relation to trait selection.
Evolution of plant height is highly affected by asymmetric light competition.
[23] Size-asymmetric competition can be exploited in managing plant communities, such as the suppression of weed in crop fields.
[23] Weeds are a greater problem for farmer in dry than in moist environments, in large part because crops can suppress weeds much more effectively under size-asymmetric competition for light than under more size-symmetric competition below ground.