When stable-stage equilibrium is unlikely: integrating transient population dynamics improves asymptotic methods.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Evaluation of population projection matrices (PPMs) that are focused on asymptotically based properties of populations is a commonly used approach to evaluate projected dynamics of managed populations. Recently, a set of tools for evaluating the properties of transient dynamics has been expanded to evaluate PPMs and to consider the dynamics of populations prior to attaining the stable-stage distribution, a state that may never be achieved in disturbed or otherwise ephemeral habitats or persistently small populations. This study re-evaluates data for a tropical orchid and examines the value of including such analyses in an integrative approach.

Methods

Six small populations of Lepanthes rubripetala were used as a model system and the R software package pop

SUBMITTER: Tremblay RL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4549953 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature