I. CHARACTERISTICS OF POPULATIONS A. Density and Abundance – Abundance refers to the number of...

Preview:

Citation preview

I. CHARACTERISTICS OF I. CHARACTERISTICS OF POPULATIONSPOPULATIONS

A. Density and Abundance– Abundance refers to the number of

individuals, N.

– Density refers to the number of individuals per unit area

I. CHARACTERISTICS OF I. CHARACTERISTICS OF POPULATIONSPOPULATIONS

A. Density and Abundance– Relation to body size

Mass (g)

100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107

De

ns

ity

(#

/sq

km

)

10-1

100

101

102

103

104

D = 16,982M-3/4

Source: Damuth (1981, Nature 290:699)

I. CHARACTERISTICS OF I. CHARACTERISTICS OF POPULATIONSPOPULATIONS

A. Density and Abundance

large species occur at lower densities

relationship exists with metabolic rate:

3/ 416,982D W

3 3 3 304 4 4 4 x RMR D W W W W

I. CHARACTERISTICS OF I. CHARACTERISTICS OF POPULATIONSPOPULATIONS

A. Density and Abundance

B. Vital Rates– Fertility rate

– Mortality rate

– Immigration rate

– Emigration rate

I. CHARACTERISTICS OF I. CHARACTERISTICS OF POPULATIONSPOPULATIONS

A. Density and Abundance

B. Vital Rates

C. Age Structure – proportion of individuals of various

ages

I. CHARACTERISTICS OF I. CHARACTERISTICS OF POPULATIONSPOPULATIONS

A. Density and Abundance

B. Vital Rates

C. Age Structure

D. Sex Ratio – ratio of males to females

– example 60:40

II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT POPULATION GROWTHPOPULATION GROWTH

A. Growth in a Constant Environment with Unlimited Resources– population doubles monthly

– N after 4 months = ?

II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT POPULATION GROWTHPOPULATION GROWTH

A. Growth in a Constant Environment with Unlimited Resources

II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT POPULATION GROWTHPOPULATION GROWTH

Geometric model:

Time (month)

0 1 2 3 4

N

0

10

20

30

40

50

0

10

20

30

40

50

Nt = N0t

= 2 = finite rate of change

II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT POPULATION GROWTHPOPULATION GROWTH

Exponential model:

Time (month)

0 1 2 3 4

N

0

10

20

30

40

50

0

10

20

30

40

50

Nt = N0ert

r = ln() = instantaneous rate of change

II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT POPULATION GROWTHPOPULATION GROWTH

Growth rate is independent of N

Time (month)

0 1 2 3 4

N

1

10

100

1

10

100

Nt = N0t

= 2, r = ln(2) = 0.69

II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT POPULATION GROWTHPOPULATION GROWTH

– Intrinsic rate of increase

Mass (g)

100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107

r m

10-2

10-1

100

101

rm = 18M-0.36

Source: Caughley and Sinclair(1994, Wildlife ecology and management)

Herbivorous Mammals

II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT POPULATION GROWTHPOPULATION GROWTH

B. The Importance of Considering Environmental Variation– Red deer and spring temperature

II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT POPULATION GROWTHPOPULATION GROWTH

B. The Importance of Considering Environmental Variation– Cotton rats on the northern fringe

II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT II. DENSITY-INDEPENDENT POPULATION GROWTHPOPULATION GROWTH

B. Importance of Environmental VariationSpecies Spring Captures

Cotton rats 22%

Prairie voles 99%

White-footed mice 83%

Deer mice 80%

Harvest mice 66%

Recommended