scholarly journals Demographic, mechanistic and density–dependent determinants of population growth rate: a case study in an avian predator

2002 ◽  
Vol 357 (1425) ◽  
pp. 1171-1177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Hone ◽  
Richard M. Sibly
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Food Availability ◽  
Population Growth Rate ◽  
Barn Owl ◽  
Numerical Response ◽  
Avian Predator ◽  
Density Dependent ◽  
Juvenile Mortality ◽  
Demographic Rates

Identifying the determinants of population growth rate is a central topic in population ecology. Three approaches (demographic, mechanistic and density–dependent) used historically to describe the determinants of population growth rate are here compared and combined for an avian predator, the barn owl ( Tyto alba ). The owl population remained approximately stable ( r ≈ 0) throughout the period from 1979 to 1991. There was no evidence of density dependence as assessed by goodness of fit to logistic population growth. The finite (λ) and instantaneous ( r ) population growth rates were significantly positively related to food (field vole) availability. The demographic rates, annual adult mortality, juvenile mortality and annual fecundity were reported to be correlated with vole abundance. The best fit ( R 2 = 0.82) numerical response of the owl population described a positive effect of food (field voles) and a negative additive effect of owl abundance on r . The numerical response of the barn owl population to food availability was estimated from both census and demographic data, with very similar results. Our analysis shows how the demographic and mechanistic determinants of population growth rate are linked; food availability determines demographic rates, and demographic rates determine population growth rate. The effects of food availability on population growth rate are modified by predator abundance.

scholarly journals Contrasting effects of climate on grey heron, malleefowl and barn owl populations

2012 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Boyle ◽  
Jim Hone
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Population Growth Rate ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Barn Owl ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Grey Heron

Context The population dynamics of many wildlife species are associated with fluctuations in climate. Food and abundance may also influence wildlife dynamics. Aims The present paper aims to evaluate the relative effects of climate on the annual instantaneous population growth rate (r) of the following three bird species: grey heron and barn owl in parts of Britain and malleefowl in a part of Australia. Methods A priori hypotheses of mechanistic effects of climate are derived and evaluated using information theoretic and regression analyses and published data for the three bird species. Climate was measured as the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) for herons and owls, and rainfall and also the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) for malleefowl. Key results Population dynamics of grey heron were positively related to the winter NAO, and of malleefowl were positively related to annual rainfall and related in a non-linear manner to SOI. By contrast, population dynamics of barn owl were very weakly related to climate. The best models for the grey heron differed between time periods but always included an effect of the NAO. Conclusions The annual population growth rate of grey heron, malleefowl and barn owl show contrasting relationships with climate, from stronger (heron and malleefowl) to weaker (barn owl). The results were broadly consistent with reported patterns but differed in some details. Interpretation of the effects of climate on the basis of analyses rather than visual assessment is encouraged. Implications Effects of climate differ among species, so effects of future climate change may also differ.

scholarly journals Density dependence in the camelid Vicugna vicugna: the recovery of a protected population in Chile

Oryx ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 118-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Bonacic ◽  
D. W. Macdonald ◽  
J. Galaz ◽  
R. M. Sibly
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Density Dependence ◽  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Carrying Capacity ◽  
Population Growth Rate ◽  
Census Data ◽  
South American ◽  
Density Dependent ◽  
Vicugna Vicugna

The vicuña Vicugna vicugna is a wild South American camelid. Following over-exploitation, which brought the species to the brink of extinction in Chile in the 1960s, the population was protected. Since 1975 the population has been censused annually, generating one of the most extensive long-term census databases for any South American mammal. In this paper we use these data, and measures of environmental parameters, to describe the population growth trend of the species and to estimate carrying capacity. Our results indicate that the vicuña has been protected successfully in northern Chile. The census data reveal that, following protection, the population displayed logistic growth between 1975 and 1992. Population growth rate declined linearly with population size, which indicates a degree of density dependence. Density independent factors, such as rainfall, may also have been important. The principal density dependent effect observed was that birth rate declined in those family groups with the most breeding females. The carrying capacity of the study area was estimated from the census data and from models based on precipitation and local primary productivity. Using the census data, an estimation of carrying capacity as the asymptote of the fitted logistic curve suggested that the vicuña population should reach approximately 26,000 vicuñas, whereas estimation when the population growth rate was equated to zero gave a carrying capacity of c. 22,000. Coe's method based on local precipitation predicted 31,000 vicuña, whereas Lavenroth's method based on local primary productivity predicted 26,000 vicuña. In reality, the census data showed that the population peaked at 22,463 vicuñas in 1990. The results are discussed in relation to the need for better census techniques and the implications of density dependent effects for the management of the vicuña in Chile.

scholarly journals Biological scaling in green algae: the role of cell size and geometry

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Helena Bestová ◽  
Jules Segrestin ◽  
Klaus von Schwartzenberg ◽  
Pavel Škaloud ◽  
Thomas Lenormand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Population Growth Rate ◽  
Internal Diffusion ◽  
Scaling Exponent ◽  
Power Scaling ◽  
Nutrient Distribution ◽  
Metabolic Scaling ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Size And Morphology

AbstractThe Metabolic Scaling Theory (MST), hypothesizes limitations of resource-transport networks in organisms and predicts their optimization into fractal-like structures. As a result, the relationship between population growth rate and body size should follow a cross-species universal quarter-power scaling. However, the universality of metabolic scaling has been challenged, particularly across transitions from bacteria to protists to multicellulars. The population growth rate of unicellulars should be constrained by external diffusion, ruling nutrient uptake, and internal diffusion, operating nutrient distribution. Both constraints intensify with increasing size possibly leading to shifting in the scaling exponent. We focused on unicellular algae Micrasterias. Large size and fractal-like morphology make this species a transitional group between unicellular and multicellular organisms in the evolution of allometry. We tested MST predictions using measurements of growth rate, size, and morphology-related traits. We showed that growth scaling of Micrasterias follows MST predictions, reflecting constraints by internal diffusion transport. Cell fractality and density decrease led to a proportional increase in surface area with body mass relaxing external constraints. Complex allometric optimization enables to maintain quarter-power scaling of population growth rate even with a large unicellular plan. Overall, our findings support fractality as a key factor in the evolution of biological scaling.

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