When is the birth rate the key factor associated with population dynamics?

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511615016.010

8 - When is the birth rate the key factor associated with population dynamics?

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 January 2010

Tim Coulson and

Edited by

John C. Rodger and

Tim Coulson: Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, U.K.
Elodie Hudson: Affiliation:
Renewable Resources Assessment Group, T.H. Huxley School of Environment, Earth Sciences and Engineering, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BP, U.K.
William V. Holt: Affiliation:
Zoological Society of London
Amanda R. Pickard: Affiliation:
Zoological Society of London
John C. Rodger: Affiliation:
Marsupial CRC, New South Wales
David E. Wildt: Affiliation:
Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Washington DC

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Summary

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

The role of reproductive technology in conservation biology, and the conditions under which the application of such technology is likely to succeed, will in part depend on the importance of fecundity rates on the dynamics of populations. For example, if a population is declining as a result of depressed fecundity rates, any improvement in the birth rate using reproductive technology may be of benefit. Conversely, if a population is declining because of depressed survival rates or increased emigration rates, then action that reverses these factors would be more relevant.

Birth, death, immigration and emigration generate patterns in the change of size of populations over time. Detecting and describing these patterns using field and statistical techniques are the mainstay of many population ecologists. They are also the first stage in understanding population dynamics well enough to make predictions or generalisations for the purposes of management, exploitation and conservation.

The size of a population in any year equals the size of the population in the previous year plus the number of individuals that have been recruited into the population by birth or immigration, minus the number of individuals that have been removed by death or emigration. The first step in trying to understand the processes associated with variation in the size of a population over time is to identify which vital rate (birth rate, survival rate or dispersal rate) is most strongly correlated with increases or decreases in population size.

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Type: Chapter
Information: Reproductive Science and Integrated Conservation , pp. 114 - 128
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511615016.010 [Opens in a new window]
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2002

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