Paleodemographic Simulations at Xcambó, Yucatan: Early and Late Classic Population Dynamics in the Northern Maya Territories

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 683-701
Author(s):  
Allan Ortega-Muñoz ◽  
Vera Tiesler ◽  
Thelma Sierra-Sosa ◽  
Andrea Cucina

Paleodemographic simulations are rare in the Maya region, because generally the skeletal collections do not represent well the ancient living population, are poorly preserved, and lead to flawed age-at-death estimations. The skeletal collection of Xcambó, however, is suitable for paleodemographic analysis and is large enough to enable comparison of paleodemographic trends between the Early (AD 250–550) and Late Classic (AD 550–750) periods. Three demographic simulations were generated; two relied on growth rates calculated from the site's previous archaeodemographic data, and a third simulation was based on a stationary scenario by applying Weiss's (1973) and Séguy and Buchet's (2013) models. All simulations indicate that Xcambó’s Late Classic population was growing faster than its Early Classic peers, with higher rates of survivorship and more severe mortality rates. We argue that the differences are more likely due to shifts in lifestyle and wealth than to environmental changes, as is confirmed by other bioarchaeological and skeletal indicators.

1977 ◽  
Vol 34 (11) ◽  
pp. 2030-2040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter T. Momot ◽  
Howard Gowing

Fluctuations in mortality rather than in growth rates produced most of the year-to-year differences in biomass accumulation of three different populations of the crayfish Orconectes virilis. Yearly biomass changes resulted from density-dependent control of mortality and fecundity during certain portions of the life cycle. Density-dependent changes in mortality rates controlled population size for adults in all lakes and for young-of-the-year in two of the three study lakes. Growth rates were much less responsive to fluctuating densities. Disparity between the number of ovarian and attached eggs increased as density of age I+ crayfish increased. This provided a strong density regulator on fecundity. Differences occurred in the number of recruits produced by a brood stock that survive to the end of the first growing season in the various lakes. Yet the number of females surviving to reproductive age 2 yr later was strongly regulated. Strong population regulation produced two female recruits of breeding age for every two–six parental breeding females. The high biomass and production levels of crayfish discovered in West Lost Lake in 1962–63 also occurred in the other area lakes. Higher but variable levels of recruitment resulted in larger standing crops and production in West Lost lake. This resulted from less effective density controls on the mortality rates of younger age-groups in that lake. Despite great variation in biomass of from 46 to 213 kg/ha and annual production from 60 to 142 kg/ha, the annual turnover ratio of the biomass was found to vary only between 0.94 and 1.53. Key words: crayfish, Orconectes virilis, population dynamics, annual production, Michigan lakes


2016 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. A. Silva ◽  
J. M. F. F. Santos ◽  
J. R. Andrade ◽  
E. N. Lima ◽  
U. P. Albuquerque ◽  
...  

Abstract Variation in annual rainfall is considered the most important factor influencing population dynamics in dry environments. However, different factors may control population dynamics in different microhabitats. This study recognizes that microhabitat variation may attenuate the influence of climatic seasonality on the population dynamics of herbaceous species in dry forest (Caatinga) areas of Brazil. We evaluated the influence of three microhabitats (flat, rocky and riparian) on the population dynamics of four herbaceous species (Delilia biflora, Commelina obliqua, Phaseolus peduncularis and Euphorbia heterophylla) in a Caatinga (dry forest) fragment at the Experimental Station of the Agronomic Research Institute of Pernambuco in Brazil, over a period of three years. D. biflora, C. obliqua and P. peduncularis were found in all microhabitats, but they were present at low densities in the riparian microhabitat. There was no record of E. heterophylla in the riparian microhabitat. Population size, mortality rates and natality rates varied over time in each microhabitat. This study indicates that different establishment conditions influenced the population size and occurrence of the four species, and it confirms that microhabitat can attenuate the effect of drought stress on mortality during the dry season, but the strength of this attenuator role may vary with time and species.


Author(s):  
Anna Clara Balbina Silva ◽  
Afonso Pelli

Compreender os mecanismos que regulam a dinâmica das populações espacialmente estruturadas é um desafio crítico para os ecólogos e gestores de conservação. A dinâmica de populações é um ramo da ecologia que estuda as populações como sistema em atividades, relacionando as influências ambientais com a distribuição e abundância dos indivíduos e suas interações com o ambiente. O presente artigo é uma revisão bibliográfica, com o objetivo de identificar produções científicas relevantes sobre dinâmica populacional. Para isso, foram utilizados periódicos revisados por pares, na base de Periódicos Capes. A pesquisa foi realizada em junho de 2019, utilizando-se as palavras-chave para título contendo: "population dynamics" e no assunto “ecology”, a partir de 2014, quando o texto completo estava disponível. Foram considerados como critérios de exclusão os artigos publicados antes de 2014. Após a leitura dos títulos dos artigos, foram selecionados 34 artigos que foram lidos na íntegra. Em livros disponíveis no acervo da biblioteca da Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, foram selecionados quatro livros no tema dinâmica populacional. O referencial teórico aborda os aspectos da dinâmica de populações, tabela de vida, formas de crescimento e interações populacionais. Ressalta-se a necessidade de novos estudos que ainda possuem lacunas, que venha complementar e contribuir para o conhecimento de organismos que faltam ou ainda não possuem registros de estudos. Palavras-chave: Taxas de Natalidade e Mortalidade. Atributos Populacionais. Dispersão. AbstractUnderstanding the mechanisms that regulate the dynamics of spatially structured populations is a critical challenge for ecologists and conservation managers. Population dynamics is a branch of ecology that studies populations as a system in activities, relating environmental influences to the individuals’ distribution and abundance and their interactions with the environment. This article is a bibliographic review, aiming to identify relevant scientific productions about population dynamics. Thus. peer-reviewed journals were used in the Capes Periodicals base, the research was conducted in June 2019, using the keywords for title containing "population dynamics" and in the subject "ecology", from 2014, when the full text was available. Exclusion criteria were: articles published before 2014, after reading the article titles, 34 articles were selected that met the initially proposed criteria and were read in full. In books available in the library collection of the Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, with a search for the dynamic population theme, 4 books were used. The theoretical framework addresses the aspects of population dynamics, life table, forms of growth and population interactions. It is emphasized  the need for further studies that still have gaps, which will complement and contribute to the knowledge of organisms that are missing or do not have study records. Keywords: Birth and Mortality Rates. Population Attributes. Dispersion.


2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Romanova ◽  
O Krasko

Aim of the study: to evaluate the dynamics and to make a comparative analysis of male and female mortality among the population of Belarus Republic during 1959 – 2015.Materials and methods. The data on natural population movement in the Republic of Belarus during 1959 – 2015 have been analyzed in the research work. Crude and standardized mortality rates have been calculated using the direct standardization according to the world standard (Standard “World”), approved by WHO. JoinPoint software was used to investigate time trends as well as office suite MSEXCEL 2010.Results of the study. The minimum values of male and female crude and standardized mortality rates were established in 1964. Throughout the study period, the male population mortality rate grew 1.8-fold (based on crude rates – 2.4-fold), the female population mortality rate – 1.6-fold (based on crude rates – 2.2-fold). During 1985 – 2005, the differences in crude mortality rates among men and women grew 1.2-fold, and during 1962 – 2011, the differences in standardized rates increased 1.8-fold. Since 2003, the mortality rate among men and since 1999, the death rate among women has declined with an annual decrease rate to be more than twice as high as compared to an annual mortality increase registered during its growth.Conclusion. Since the 1960s, the changes in population age structure of the male and female population affected the crude mortality rates. The male and female mortality growth is due to an increased unfavorable impact of combined environmental factors. The adaptive capacity of women to sustain environmental changes contributed to their later entry into the period of mortality growth, as compared to men. The mortality rate reduction in men since 2003 and the excess of a decrease over an increase rate is associated with a set of state measures aimed at protecting and strengthening the public health in the republic.


Parasitology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 136 (9) ◽  
pp. 1023-1032 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. G. H. TAYLOR ◽  
R. WOOTTEN ◽  
C. SOMMERVILLE

SUMMARYThis study uses a novel method for discriminating cohorts and investigating the population dynamics of the parasitic crustacean, Argulus foliaceus. Analysis of parasite length-frequency data was carried out in order to elucidate the timings and drivers behind the parasite's life cycle. Up to 6 cohorts of the parasite emerge through the course of 1 year in still-water trout fisheries in England. Recruitment ceases over the winter months; however, 3 cohorts of the parasite over-winter, 2 as eggs and 1 as a hatched stage. The technique, when used in conjunction with temperature data, also allowed for the reliable prediction of growth rates and provided estimates of egg incubation times and the length of hatching periods. These data showed that growth rates increased exponentially between the observed temperatures of 4 to 22°C. The method allowed for the time taken from hatching to egg laying under field conditions to be predicted and produced estimates that were validated against independent laboratory studies on the growth of the parasite.


1973 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry A. Haines

The value of RNA–DNA ratio as a measure of long-term growth of fish populations under semi-natural conditions and when subjected to environmental manipulations was determined. Populations of carp and smallmouth bass of known age distribution were established in artificial ponds maintained at two fertility levels. After 15 months, population growth rates (as percent increase in weight) and RNA–DNA ratios of muscle tissue from selected fish were measured. Each species exhibited a range of population growth rates. The relation between population growth rate and individual fish RNA–DNA ratio for each species was significant. When reproduction occurred, the relation was not significant unless young-of-the-year fish were excluded from population growth rate calculations. Age of fish was also found to have an important effect on RNA–DNA ratio, with the ratio being higher in younger fish.RNA–DNA ratio can be a reliable indicator of long-term population growth in fish when population age structure is known and recruitment is controlled. The method has potential for use in detecting response to environmental changes before growth rate changes become severe.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Cardoso-Leite ◽  
Gabriel C. Vilardi ◽  
Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira ◽  
Pitágoras C. Bispo

Conspecific density may influence adult recruitment and consequently population dynamics. Several studies have shown the density dependence of larvae growth rates in Odonata. However, few studies studied how conspecific density influence final instar larvae emergence date decisions. Considering that larvae may choose the date of emergence, the present study investigated if density affects larvae choice. For this, we reared eight final instar larvae in individual aquaria and other 24 larvae in aquaria with three larvae each. This way, we simulated environments with low and high larval densities. We then noted the days that larvae took to emerge and compared it between low and high density groups. The results showed that larvae seem to emerge earlier when in high densities (Mann-Whitney,U=10.000,P=0.03). These results support the hypothesis that damselfly last instar larvae may postpone or hasten emergence in response to the social environment and related constraints.


2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (8) ◽  
pp. 1198-1208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas C. Braun ◽  
John D. Reynolds

Understanding linkages among life history traits, the environment, and population dynamics is a central goal in ecology. We compared 15 populations of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) to test general hypotheses for the relative importance of life history traits and environmental conditions in explaining variation in population dynamics. We used life history traits and habitat variables as covariates in mixed-effect Ricker models to evaluate the support for correlates of maximum population growth rates, density dependence, and variability in dynamics among populations. We found dramatic differences in the dynamics of populations that spawn in a small geographical area. These differences among populations were related to variation in habitats but not life history traits. Populations that spawned in deep water had higher and less variable population growth rates, and populations inhabiting streams with larger gravels experienced stronger negative density dependence. These results demonstrate, in these populations, the relative importance of environmental conditions and life histories in explaining population dynamics, which is rarely possible for multiple populations of the same species. Furthermore, they suggest that local habitat variables are important for the assessment of population status, especially when multiple populations with different dynamics are managed as aggregates.


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