Dynamic heterogeneity in life histories.

ABSTRACT: Longitudinal data on natural populations have been analysed using multistage models in which survival depends on reproductive stage, and individuals change stages according to a Markov chain. These models are special cases of stage-structured population models. We show that stage-structured models generate dynamic heterogeneity: life-history differences produced by stochastic stratum dynamics. We characterize dynamic heterogeneity in a range of species across taxa by properties of the Markov chain: the entropy, which describes the extent of heterogeneity, and the subdominant eigenvalue, which describes the persistence of reproductive success during the life of an individual. Trajectories of reproductive stage determine survivorship, and we analyse the variance in lifespan within and betwee

SUBMITTER: Tuljapurkar S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5662024 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature