Thermal carrying capacity for a thermally-sensitive species at the warmest edge of its range.

ABSTRACT: Anthropogenic environmental change is causing unprecedented rates of population extirpation and altering the setting of range limits for many species. Significant population declines may occur however before any reduction in range is observed. Determining and modelling the factors driving population size and trends is consequently critical to predict trajectories of change and future extinction risk. We tracked during 12 years 51 populations of a cold-water fish species (brown trout Salmo trutta) living along a temperature gradient at the warmest thermal edge of its range. We developed a carrying capacity model in which maximum population size is limited by physical habitat conditions and regulated through territoriality. We first tested whether population numbers were driven by carrying c

SUBMITTER: Ayllon D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3840006 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature