Species coexistence within ecosystems and the stability of patterns of temporal changes
in population sizes are central topics in ecological theory. In the last decade, adaptive
behaviour has been proposed as a mechanism of population stabilization. In particular,
widely distributed adaptive trophic behaviour (ATB), the fitness-enhancing changes in
individuals feeding-related traits due to variation in their trophic environment, may play
a key role in modulating the dynamics of feeding relationships within natural
communities. In this article, we review and synthesize models and results from
theoretical research dealing with the consequences of ATB on the structure and
dynamics of complex food webs. We discuss current approaches, point out limitations,
and consider questions ripe for future research. In spite of some differences in the
modelling and analytic approaches, there are points of convergence: (1) ATB promotes
the complex structure of ecological networks, (2) ATB increases the stability of their
dynamics, (3) ATB reverses Mays negative complexity–stability relationship, and (4)
ATB provides resilience and resistance of networks against perturbations. Current
knowledge supports ATB as an essential ingredient for models of community dynamics,
and future research that incorporates ATB will be well positioned to address questions
important for basic ecological research and its applications.