How can mortality increase population size? A test of two mechanistic hypotheses.

ABSTRACT: Overcompensation occurs when added mortality increases survival to the next life-cycle stage. Overcompensation can contribute to the Hydra effect, wherein added mortality increases equilibrium population size. One hypothesis for overcompensation is that added mortality eases density dependence, increasing survival to adulthood ("temporal separation of mortality and density dependence"). Mortality early in the life cycle is therefore predicted to cause overcompensation, whereas mortality later in the life cycle is not. Another hypothesis for overcompensation is that threat of mortality (e.g., from predation) causes behavioral changes that reduce overexploitation of resources, allowing resource recovery, and increasing production of adults ("prudent resource exploitation"). Behaviorally acti

SUBMITTER: McIntire KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6026565 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature