Journal ArticleDOI
Population regulation and population inertia
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In this article, the authors examine the concept of regula- tion, and compare ways in which a population may maintain a rather constant density, and they assume that some stable populations exist, though it seemsAbstract:
Regulation is defined as the return of a population to equilibrium density. An operational definition of regulation is convergence to a single density by subpopulations which have been manipulated previously to different densities. The equilibrium density may be fixed or variable. If the equilibrium is variable then regulation may produce instability (numerical inconstancy) and non-density-dependence. Population inertia is the tendency for a population to resist changes away from its current density. If speed of regulation is defined as Isi, the speed of convergence to equilibrium, then inertia is 1/IsI. The evolution of mechanisms of inertia involves changes in the demographic functions, mediated through physiology or behavior, which keep the rate of numerical change low. It is not clear if populations are control systems or non-control systems, which makes the convergence experiment difficult to interpret the- oretically. Experiments and observations are needed which will try to distinguish, among stable populations, between those with tight regulation and those with high inertia. In this note, I examine the concept of regula- tion, and I compare ways in which a population may maintain a rather constant density. Regula- tion may sometimes be the most important pro- cess, but in some circumstances, what I call in- ertia will be of prime importance. I assume that some stable populations exist, though it seemsread more
Citations
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On the Evidence Needed to Judge Ecological Stability or Persistence
Joseph H. Connell,Wayne P. Sousa +1 more
TL;DR: An analysis of census data from many long-term studies revealed a continuum of temporal variability in the dynamics of natural populations and communities, with no evidence of multiple stable states in unexploited natural populations or communities.
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Cannibalism in Natural Populations
TL;DR: It is shown that cannibalism is a normal phenomenon in many natural populations, to evaluate its possible roles in influencing demo graphic structure and population processes, and to suggest conditions for, and constraints on, its occurrence.
Journal ArticleDOI
Babel, or the ecological stability discussions: an inventory and analysis of terminology and a guide for avoiding confusion.
Volker Grimm,Christian Wissel +1 more
TL;DR: A strategy is derived that can help to dispel the existing ”confusion of tongues” on the subject of ”stability” and prevent its future recurrence, and consists of three questions that should be kept in mind when communicating about stability properties.
Babel, or the ecological stability discussions: an inventory and analysis
Volker Grimm,Christian Wissel +1 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present an inventory and analysis of dis-cussions of ecological stability, considering 163 defini- tions of 70 different stability concepts, and propose a strategy that can help to dispel the existing "confu- sion of tongues" on the subject of "stability" and prevent its future recurrence.
Journal ArticleDOI
The Ecological and Genetic Consequences of Density-Dependent Regulation in Plants
and J Antonovics,Donald A. Levin +1 more
TL;DR: Whether populations are regulated by density-dependent or densityindependent factors has been the subject of intensive debate and controversy over the past twenty-five years, especially in the zoological literature.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
An Analysis of Density Effects and Predation in Bufo Americanus Tadpoles
TL;DR: The effects of density on growth and survivorship of Bufo americanus tadpoles and the importance of some predators were investigated experimentally in two small ponds in southeastern Michigan.
Book
Introduction to the Study of Animal Populations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors introduce the study of animal populations, and introduce the concept of animal population, and propose a method to study animal populations in the field of animal ecology.
Journal ArticleDOI
Introduction to the Study of Animal Populations
Lee E. Yeager,H. G. Andrewartha +1 more