Top-down pulses reduce prey population sizes and persistence
Author
Hamman, Elizabeth A.; McCoy, Michael W.
Abstract
Resource pulses are well documented and have important consequences for population dynamics relative to continuous inputs. However, pulses of top-down factors (e.g. predation) are less explored and appreciated in the ecological literature. Here, we use a simple differential equation population model to show how pulsed removals of individuals from a population alter population size relative to continuous dynamics. Pulsed removals result in lower equilibrium population sizes relative to continuous removals, and the differences are greatest at low population growth rates, high removal rates, and with large, infrequent pulses. Furthermore, the timing of the removal pulses (either stochastic or cyclic) affects population size. For example, cyclic removals are less likely than stochastic removals to result in population eradication, but when eradication occurs, the time until eradication is shorter for cyclic than with stochastic removals.
Date
2018-06-19
Citation:
APA:
Hamman, Elizabeth A., & McCoy, Michael W.. (June 2018).
Top-down pulses reduce prey population sizes and persistence.
,
(),
-
. Retrieved from
http://hdl.handle.net/10342/7173
MLA:
Hamman, Elizabeth A., and McCoy, Michael W..
"Top-down pulses reduce prey population sizes and persistence". .
. (),
June 2018.
September 28, 2023.
http://hdl.handle.net/10342/7173.
Chicago:
Hamman, Elizabeth A. and McCoy, Michael W.,
"Top-down pulses reduce prey population sizes and persistence," , no.
(June 2018),
http://hdl.handle.net/10342/7173 (accessed
September 28, 2023).
AMA:
Hamman, Elizabeth A., McCoy, Michael W..
Top-down pulses reduce prey population sizes and persistence. .
June 2018;
():
.
http://hdl.handle.net/10342/7173. Accessed
September 28, 2023.