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Demographic routes to variability and regulation in bird populations

Author

Listed:
  • Bernt-Erik Sæther

    (Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

  • Vidar Grøtan

    (Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

  • Steinar Engen

    (Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

  • Tim Coulson

    (University of Oxford)

  • Peter R. Grant

    (Princeton University)

  • Marcel E. Visser

    (Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW))

  • Jon E. Brommer

    (University Hill, University of Turku)

  • B. Rosemary Grant

    (Princeton University)

  • Lars Gustafsson

    (Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University)

  • Ben J. Hatchwell

    (University of Sheffield)

  • Kurt Jerstad

    (Aurebekksveien 61)

  • Patrik Karell

    (Environmental and Marine Biology
    Coastal Zone Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences)

  • Hannu Pietiäinen

    (Bird Ecology Unit, University of Helsinki)

  • Alexandre Roulin

    (Biophore, University of Lausannne)

  • Ole W. Røstad

    (Norwegian University of Life Sciences)

  • Henri Weimerskirch

    (Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé)

Abstract

There is large interspecific variation in the magnitude of population fluctuations, even among closely related species. The factors generating this variation are not well understood, primarily because of the challenges of separating the relative impact of variation in population size from fluctuations in the environment. Here, we show using demographic data from 13 bird populations that magnitudes of fluctuations in population size are mainly driven by stochastic fluctuations in the environment. Regulation towards an equilibrium population size occurs through density-dependent mortality. At small population sizes, population dynamics are primarily driven by environment-driven variation in recruitment, whereas close to the carrying capacity K, variation in population growth is more strongly influenced by density-dependent mortality of both juveniles and adults. Our results provide evidence for the hypothesis proposed by Lack that population fluctuations in birds arise from temporal variation in the difference between density-independent recruitment and density-dependent mortality during the non-breeding season.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernt-Erik Sæther & Vidar Grøtan & Steinar Engen & Tim Coulson & Peter R. Grant & Marcel E. Visser & Jon E. Brommer & B. Rosemary Grant & Lars Gustafsson & Ben J. Hatchwell & Kurt Jerstad & Patrik Kar, 2016. "Demographic routes to variability and regulation in bird populations," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-8, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms12001
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12001
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    Cited by:

    1. Engen, Steinar & Sæther, Bernt-Erik, 2019. "Ecological dynamics and large scale phenotypic differentiation in density-dependent populations," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 133-143.

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