Poor horse traders: large mammals trade survival for reproduction during the process of feralization.

ABSTRACT: We investigated density dependence on the demographic parameters of a population of Camargue horses (Equus caballus), individually monitored and unmanaged for eight years. We also analysed the contributions of individual demographic parameters to changes in the population growth rates. The decrease in resources caused a loss of body condition. Adult male survival was not affected, but the survival of foals and adult females decreased with increasing density. Prime-aged females maintained high reproductive performance at high density, and their survival decreased. The higher survival of adult males compared with females at high density presumably results from higher investment in reproduction by mares. The high fecundity in prime-aged females, even when at high density, may result from arti

SUBMITTER: Grange S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2674491 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature