The implications of environmental variability on caribou demography: theoretical considerations
Random environmental influences, such as snow cover, are widely regarded as an integral feature of caribou population dynamics. We conducted computer simulations to explore the ramifications of such stochastic variability for caribou demography. We devised 4 models with increasing levels of complexi...
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Septentrio Academic Publishing
1991
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:6b83bc5bdcb5412cabbb7721cf15b69b 2023-05-15T15:53:27+02:00 The implications of environmental variability on caribou demography: theoretical considerations James A. Schaefer Francois Messier 1991-10-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.7557/2.11.4.994 https://doaj.org/article/6b83bc5bdcb5412cabbb7721cf15b69b EN eng Septentrio Academic Publishing https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/994 https://doaj.org/toc/1890-6729 doi:10.7557/2.11.4.994 1890-6729 https://doaj.org/article/6b83bc5bdcb5412cabbb7721cf15b69b Rangifer, Vol 11, Iss 4 (1991) caribou demography computer simulation environmental variability population dynamics Animal culture SF1-1100 article 1991 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.7557/2.11.4.994 2022-12-31T09:22:05Z Random environmental influences, such as snow cover, are widely regarded as an integral feature of caribou population dynamics. We conducted computer simulations to explore the ramifications of such stochastic variability for caribou demography. We devised 4 models with increasing levels of complexity: Model 1, density-independence under different levels of stochasticity and r; Model 2, non-linear effect of snow cover on r; Model 3, non-linear effect of snow cover on r and stochasticity as a function of population size; and Model 4, non-linear effect of snow cover on r, stochasticity as a funciton of population size, and density-dependence according to the logistic equation. The results of Model 1 indicated that nearly all caribou populations subject only to environmental vagaries experienced either extincition or irruption. Model 2 revealed that non-linear effect of snow cover depressed the realised r as a function of population size. Finally, Model 4 suggested long-term population as previously reported in literature, but with reduced chance of overshooting K under moderate to high environmental variability. Article in Journal/Newspaper caribou Rangifer Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Rangifer 11 4 53 |
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Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
caribou demography computer simulation environmental variability population dynamics Animal culture SF1-1100 |
spellingShingle |
caribou demography computer simulation environmental variability population dynamics Animal culture SF1-1100 James A. Schaefer Francois Messier The implications of environmental variability on caribou demography: theoretical considerations |
topic_facet |
caribou demography computer simulation environmental variability population dynamics Animal culture SF1-1100 |
description |
Random environmental influences, such as snow cover, are widely regarded as an integral feature of caribou population dynamics. We conducted computer simulations to explore the ramifications of such stochastic variability for caribou demography. We devised 4 models with increasing levels of complexity: Model 1, density-independence under different levels of stochasticity and r; Model 2, non-linear effect of snow cover on r; Model 3, non-linear effect of snow cover on r and stochasticity as a function of population size; and Model 4, non-linear effect of snow cover on r, stochasticity as a funciton of population size, and density-dependence according to the logistic equation. The results of Model 1 indicated that nearly all caribou populations subject only to environmental vagaries experienced either extincition or irruption. Model 2 revealed that non-linear effect of snow cover depressed the realised r as a function of population size. Finally, Model 4 suggested long-term population as previously reported in literature, but with reduced chance of overshooting K under moderate to high environmental variability. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
James A. Schaefer Francois Messier |
author_facet |
James A. Schaefer Francois Messier |
author_sort |
James A. Schaefer |
title |
The implications of environmental variability on caribou demography: theoretical considerations |
title_short |
The implications of environmental variability on caribou demography: theoretical considerations |
title_full |
The implications of environmental variability on caribou demography: theoretical considerations |
title_fullStr |
The implications of environmental variability on caribou demography: theoretical considerations |
title_full_unstemmed |
The implications of environmental variability on caribou demography: theoretical considerations |
title_sort |
implications of environmental variability on caribou demography: theoretical considerations |
publisher |
Septentrio Academic Publishing |
publishDate |
1991 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.7557/2.11.4.994 https://doaj.org/article/6b83bc5bdcb5412cabbb7721cf15b69b |
genre |
caribou Rangifer |
genre_facet |
caribou Rangifer |
op_source |
Rangifer, Vol 11, Iss 4 (1991) |
op_relation |
https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/994 https://doaj.org/toc/1890-6729 doi:10.7557/2.11.4.994 1890-6729 https://doaj.org/article/6b83bc5bdcb5412cabbb7721cf15b69b |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7557/2.11.4.994 |
container_title |
Rangifer |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
53 |
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1766388567279403008 |