Introduction to population ecology

✍ Scribed by Larry L. Rockwood

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 353
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Introduction to Population Ecology is an accessible and up-to-date textbook covering all aspects of population ecology. Using botanical and zoological examples from the tropics to the tundra, this text discusses field and laboratory data to illustrate the fundamental laws of population ecology.Each chapter provides an overview of how population theory has developed, exploring single-species population growth and self-limitation; metapopulations; and a broad range of interspecific interactions including parasite–host, predator–prey and plant–herbivore. Throughout, the mathematics is kept as simple as possible, using a careful step-by-step approach, and including graphs and other visual aids to help understanding.This text is an essential introduction to population ecology for undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in population ecology, including those with little mathematical experience.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents
......Page 6
Preface......Page 10
Part I Single-species populations......Page 14
1.1 Introduction......Page 18
1.2 Fundamentals of population growth......Page 20
1.3 Types of models......Page 23
1.5 Discrete or "geometric" growth in populations with non-overlapping generations......Page 25
1.6 Exponential growth in populations with overlapping generations......Page 28
1.7 Exponential growth in an invasive species......Page 32
1.8 Applications to human populations......Page 33
1.9 The finite rate of increase (͗) and the intrinsic rate of increase (r)......Page 36
1.10 Stochastic models of population growth and population viability analysis......Page 37
1.11 Conclusions......Page 45
2.1 Introduction......Page 46
2.2 Density dependence in populations with discrete generations......Page 49
2.3 Density dependence in populations with overlapping generations......Page 55
2.4 Nonlinear density dependence of birth and death rates and the Allee effect......Page 60
2.5 Time lags and limit cycles......Page 65
2.6 Chaos and behavior of the discrete logistic model......Page 67
2.7 Adding stochasticity to density-dependent models......Page 69
2.8 Laboratory and field data......Page 71
2.9 Behavioral aspects of intraspecific competition......Page 73
2.10 Conclusions......Page 78
3.1 Introduction......Page 79
3.2 What is population regulation?......Page 80
3.3 Combining density-dependent and density-independent factors......Page 81
3.4 Tests of density dependence......Page 82
3.5 Conclusions......Page 89
4.1 Introduction......Page 90
4.2 Survivorship......Page 92
4.3 Fertility......Page 99
4.4 Mortality curves......Page 101
4.5 Expectation of life......Page 102
4.6 Net reproductive rate, generation time, and the intrinsic rate of increase......Page 104
4.7 Age structure and the stable age distribution......Page 106
4.8 Projecting population growth in age-structured populations......Page 107
4.9 The Leslie or population projection matrix......Page 109
4.10 A second version of the Leslie matrix......Page 110
4.11 The Lefkovitch modification of the Leslie matrix......Page 112
4.12 Dominant latent roots and the characteristic equation......Page 113
4.13 Reproductive value......Page 115
4.14 Conclusions:sensitivity analysis......Page 118
5.1 Introduction......Page 121
5.2 Metapopulations and spatial ecology......Page 122
5.3 MacArthur and Wilson and the equilibrium theory......Page 125
5.4 The Levins or classical metapopulation......Page 128
5.6 Metapopulation dynamics of two local populations......Page 131
5.7 Source–sink metapopulations and the rescue effect......Page 133
5.9 Spatially realistic models......Page 134
5.10 Minimum viable metapopulation size......Page 139
5.11 Assumptions and evidence for the existence of metapopulations in nature......Page 140
5.12 Conclusions......Page 143
6.1 Introduction......Page 144
6.2 Power laws......Page 149
6.3 The metabolic theory of ecology......Page 152
6.4 Cole and Lewontin......Page 153
6.5 The theory of r- and K-selection......Page 158
6.6 Cost of reproduction and allocation of energy......Page 160
6.7 Clutch size......Page 161
6.8 Latitudinal gradients in clutch size......Page 162
6.9 Predation and its effects on life-history characteristics......Page 163
6.11 The Grime general model for three evolutionary strategies in plants......Page 164
6.12 Conclusions......Page 166
Part II Interspecific interactions......Page 168
7.1 Introduction......Page 172
7.2 Interspecific competition: early experiments and the competitive exclusion principle......Page 173
7.3 The Lotka–Volterra competition equations......Page 175
7.4 Laboratory experiments and competition......Page 181
7.5 Resource-based competition theory......Page 183
7.6 Spatial competition and the competition–colonization trade-off......Page 189
7.7 Evidence for competition from nature......Page 192
7.8 Indirect evidence for competition and "natural experiments"......Page 194
7.9 Conclusions......Page 200
8.1 Introduction......Page 201
8.2 Modeling mutualism......Page 204
8.3 Conclusions: the costs of mutualism......Page 205
9.1 Introduction......Page 207
9.2 Factors affecting microparasite population biology......Page 209
9.3 Modeling host–microparasite interactions......Page 210
9.4 Dynamics of the disease......Page 211
9.5 Immunization......Page 214
9.6 Endangered metapopulations and disease......Page 216
9.7 Social parasites......Page 218
9.8 Conclusions......Page 219
10.1 Introduction......Page 220
10.2 The Lotka–Volterra equations......Page 229
10.3 Early tests of the Lotka–Volterra models......Page 231
10.4 Functional responses......Page 233
10.5 Adding prey density dependence and the type II and III functional responses to the Lotka–Volterra equations......Page 237
10.6 The graphical analyses of Rosenzweig and MacArthur......Page 240
10.7 Use of a half-saturation constant in predator–prey interactions......Page 244
10.8 Parasitoid–host interactions and the Nicholson–Bailey models......Page 245
10.9 Predator–prey interactions in practice: field studies
......Page 249
10.11 The dangers of a predatory lifestyle......Page 259
10.12 Escape from predation......Page 260
10.13 Conclusions......Page 264
11.1 Introduction......Page 265
11.2 Classes of chemical defenses......Page 267
11.3 Constitutive versus induced defense......Page 272
11.5 Plant–parasitoid communication......Page 274
11.7 Novel defenses/herbivore responses......Page 275
11.8 Detoxification of plant compounds by herbivores......Page 276
11.9 Plant apparency and chemical defense......Page 277
11.11 The optimal defense theory......Page 278
11.12 Modeling plant–herbivore population dynamics......Page 279
11.13 Conclusions: the complexities of herbivore–plant interactions......Page 285
Appendix 1 Problem sets......Page 290
Appendix 2 Matrix algebra: the basics......Page 294
Mathematical symbols used in this book......Page 300
References......Page 307
Index......Page 328