Top-down pulses reduce prey population sizes and persistence.

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 removal

SUBMITTER: Hamman EA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6008325 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature