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Spatial and temporal variation of life-history traits documented using capture-mark-recapture methods in the vector snail Bulinus truncatus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 October 2003

G. CHLYEH
Affiliation:
Département de Zoologie, IAV Hassan II, BP 6202 Rabat Institut, Morocco
P.-Y. HENRY
Affiliation:
CEFE-CNRS, 1919 route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
P. JARNE
Affiliation:
CEFE-CNRS, 1919 route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
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Abstract

The population biology of the schistosome-vector snail Bulinus truncatus was studied in an irrigation area near Marrakech, Morocco, using demographic approaches, in order to estimate life-history parameters. The survey was conducted using 2 capture-mark-recapture analyses in 2 separate sites from the irrigation area, the first one in 1999 and the second one in 2000. Individuals larger than 5 mm were considered. The capture probability varied through time and space in both analyses. Apparent survival (from 0·7 to 1 per period of 2–3 days) varied with time and space (a series of sinks was considered), as well as a square function of size. These results suggest variation in population intrinsic rate of increase. They also suggest that results from more classical analyses of population demography, aiming, for example at estimating population size, should be interpreted with caution. Together with other results obtained in the same irrigation area, they also lead to some suggestions for population control.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2003 Cambridge University Press
Figure 0

Fig. 1. Schematized map of the Oulad Sid'cheikh irrigation scheme, located along the Marrakech – Essaouira road, giving the location of the CMR experiments (CMR1 and CMR2), the connections between sinks (empty squares) through half-pipes and the movements of water (arrows within pipes). Filled squares are pumping stations. A detailed map of the series of sinks in which the CMR2 experiment was conducted is given below the main map. Note that the map is not to scale, and the largest distance along the Marrakech – Essaouira axis is 3 km.

Figure 1

Fig. 2. Size distribution of individual Bulinus truncatus captured and marked during the second CMR experiment (N=1025). Two cohorts can be distinguished with an arbitrary limit set at 12 mm.

Figure 2

Table 1. Recapture and daily survival probabilities, with standard deviation into parentheses, in the CMR1 experiment (1999)

Figure 3

Table 2. Comparison of models explaining variation in survival (Φ) and recapture (P) probabilities in the CMR2 experiment (2000)

Figure 4

Fig. 3. Size-specific survival probabilities estimated under the preferred model (see text) in 3 sinks (S′3, S′5 and S′7) in the CMR2 experiment. The size effect is constrained to be identical among sinks.