Population dynamics and growth in three scyphozoan jellyfishes, and their relationship with environmental conditions in a coastal lagoon

2020 ◽  
Vol 243 ◽  
pp. 106901
Author(s):  
Alfredo Fernández-Alías ◽  
Concepción Marcos ◽  
Jhoni Ismael Quispe ◽  
Sandra Sabah ◽  
Angel Pérez-Ruzafa
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Coastal Lagoon ◽  
Environmental Conditions

scholarly journals Lifetime reproductive success in a population of female red kangaroos Macropus rufus in the sheep rangelands of western New South Wales: Environmental effects and population dynamics

2004 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
AD Bilton ◽  
DB Croft
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Reproductive Potential ◽  
Lifetime Reproductive Success ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Macropus Rufus ◽  
Initial Starting

Female reproductive success and the recruitment of offspring to the next generation are key components of animal population dynamics. With an annual commercial harvest of between 13 and 22% of the red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) population, it is increasingly important that these processes are understood. We used data on the reproductive success of 33 free-ranging female M. rufus on Fowlers Gap station in far western New South Wales to determine the expected lifetime reproductive success (LRS) of females within an unharvested population. We also designed a model to generate predictions about female LRS incorporating empirical relationships between a mother?s reproductive success and maternal age, environmental conditions and the sex and survivorship of a previous reproductive attempt. Results from observations on female LRS (calculated from annual weaning rates) and those generated by the model predict that female M. rufus on ?Fowlers Gap? wean, on average, 3.7 young in a lifetime (ranges 0 - 11 and 0 - 20, respectively); representing only 41% of their maximum reproductive potential. Manipulation of initial starting conditions allowed the effect of varying environmental conditions on female LRS to be explored. The condition of the environment when females commence breeding does not appear to significantly affect their overall lifetime reproductive output. However, the occurrence of drought does. Females experiencing two droughts in a lifetime did not live as long and weaned fewer offspring and grandoffspring (from their daughters) than those females experiencing only one drought in a lifetime. In addition to the adverse effect of drought on the reproductive success of female M. rufus in this study, we suggest that, given the relatively high and stable population densities of M. rufus on ?Fowlers Gap?, other mechanisms (acting primarily on juvenile survival) must exist which limit population growth.

Life history and environmental influences on population dynamics in sockeye salmon

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (8) ◽  
pp. 1198-1208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas C. Braun ◽  
John D. Reynolds
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Life History ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Sockeye Salmon ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Population Growth Rates ◽  
Habitat Variables

Understanding linkages among life history traits, the environment, and population dynamics is a central goal in ecology. We compared 15 populations of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) to test general hypotheses for the relative importance of life history traits and environmental conditions in explaining variation in population dynamics. We used life history traits and habitat variables as covariates in mixed-effect Ricker models to evaluate the support for correlates of maximum population growth rates, density dependence, and variability in dynamics among populations. We found dramatic differences in the dynamics of populations that spawn in a small geographical area. These differences among populations were related to variation in habitats but not life history traits. Populations that spawned in deep water had higher and less variable population growth rates, and populations inhabiting streams with larger gravels experienced stronger negative density dependence. These results demonstrate, in these populations, the relative importance of environmental conditions and life histories in explaining population dynamics, which is rarely possible for multiple populations of the same species. Furthermore, they suggest that local habitat variables are important for the assessment of population status, especially when multiple populations with different dynamics are managed as aggregates.

scholarly journals Contrasting effects of climate change on seasonal survival of a hibernating mammal

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (30) ◽  
pp. 18119-18126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Line S. Cordes ◽  
Daniel T. Blumstein ◽  
Kenneth B. Armitage ◽  
Paul J. CaraDonna ◽  
Dylan Z. Childs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Life History ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Life History Strategies ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Age Classes ◽  
History Of ◽  
Colorado Rocky Mountains

Seasonal environmental conditions shape the behavior and life history of virtually all organisms. Climate change is modifying these seasonal environmental conditions, which threatens to disrupt population dynamics. It is conceivable that climatic changes may be beneficial in one season but result in detrimental conditions in another because life-history strategies vary between these time periods. We analyzed the temporal trends in seasonal survival of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer) and explored the environmental drivers using a 40-y dataset from the Colorado Rocky Mountains (USA). Trends in survival revealed divergent seasonal patterns, which were similar across age-classes. Marmot survival declined during winter but generally increased during summer. Interestingly, different environmental factors appeared to drive survival trends across age-classes. Winter survival was largely driven by conditions during the preceding summer and the effect of continued climate change was likely to be mainly negative, whereas the likely outcome of continued climate change on summer survival was generally positive. This study illustrates that seasonal demographic responses need disentangling to accurately forecast the impacts of climate change on animal population dynamics.

scholarly journals Strain background, species frequency and environmental conditions are important in determining population dynamics and species co-existence between Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selina Niggli ◽  
Rolf Kümmerli
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Interaction Patterns ◽  
Species Frequency ◽  
Staphyloccocus Aureus ◽  
Culturing Conditions ◽  
Polymicrobial Infections ◽  
Strain Background

AbstractBacterial communities in the environment and in infections are typically diverse, yet we know little about the factors that determine interspecies interactions. Here, we apply concepts from ecological theory to understand how biotic and abiotic factors affect interaction patterns between the two opportunistic human pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphyloccocus aureus, which often co-occur in polymicrobial infections. Specifically, we conducted a series of short- and long-term competition experiments between P. aeruginosa PAO1 (as our reference strain) and three different S. aureus strains (Cowan I, 6850, JE2) at three starting frequencies and under three environmental (culturing) conditions. We found that the competitive ability of P. aeruginosa strongly depended on the strain background of S. aureus, whereby P. aeruginosa dominated against Cowan I and 6850, but not against JE2. In the latter case, both species could end up as winners depending on conditions. Specifically, we observed strong frequency-dependent fitness patterns, including positive frequency dependence, where P. aeruginosa could dominate JE2 only when common, but not when rare. Finally, changes in environmental (culturing) conditions fundamentally altered the competitive balance between the two species, in a way that P. aeruginosa dominance increased when moving from shaken to static environments. Altogether, our results highlight that ecological details can have profound effects on the competitive dynamics between co-infecting pathogens, and determine whether two species can co-exist or invade each others’ populations from rare. Moreover, our findings might parallel certain dynamics observed in chronic polymicrobial infections.ImportanceBacterial infections are frequently caused by more than one species and such polymicrobial infections are often considered more virulent and more difficult to treat than the respective monospecies infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphyloccocus aureus are among the most important pathogens in polymicrobial infections and their co-occurrence is linked to worse disease outcome. There is great interest in understanding how these two species interact with each other and what the consequences for the host are. While previous studies have mainly looked at molecular mechanisms implicated in interactions between P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, here we show that ecological factors such as strain background, species frequency and environmental conditions are important elements determining population dynamics and species co-existence patterns. We propose that the uncovered principles may also play major roles in infections, and therefore proclaim that an integrative approach combining molecular and ecological aspects is required to fully understand polymicrobial infections.

scholarly journals Effects of Lead Exposure, Environmental Conditions, and Metapopulation Processes on Population Dynamics of Spectacled Eiders

2016 ◽  
Vol 81 ◽  
pp. 1-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul L. Flint ◽  
James B. Grand ◽  
Margaret R. Petersen ◽  
Robert F. Rockwell
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Lead Exposure ◽  
Environmental Conditions

scholarly journals A fish for all seasons: Spatial and temporal variation in patterns of demographic heterogeneity for Retropinna retropinna

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Christopher McDowall
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Environmental Variation ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Demographic Heterogeneity ◽  
Demographic Attributes

<p>Demographic heterogeneity can have big effects on population dynamics, but for most species we have limited understanding of how and why individuals vary. Variation among individuals is of particular importance for stage-structured populations, and/or where species have ‘complex life-cycles’. This is especially relevant in the case of amphidromous fishes that typically spawn in river mouths and estuaries, develop at sea and return to freshwater to finish development. These fish face strong selection pressures as they negotiate challenges around dispersal and development in order to reproduce successfully. Quantifying variation amongst individual fish can improve understanding of their population dynamics and suggest possible drivers of variation.  I evaluate patterns and sources of variation in demographic attributes of the New Zealand smelt (Retropinna retropinna). R. retropinna is an amphidromous fish that is endemic to New Zealand. While most populations have a sea-going larval stage, a number of landlocked freshwater populations occur, with the largest landlocked population residing in Lake Taupo. Here R. retropinna are presented with a variety of littoral feeding/spawning habitats and environmental conditions that may vary across distinct regions of the lake. In addition, the protracted spawning period for this species in Lake Taupo (occurring over eight months of the year) provides additional scope for seasonal variation to influence demographic attributes of individuals.  I sampled R. retropinna from discrete coastal habitats (beach or river) that were located in the eastern, southern and western regions of the lake. I evaluated patterns of variation in the size-structure, age-structure and morphology of R. retropinna among habitats and/or regions across Lake Taupo. I used otoliths to reconstruct demographic histories (ages, growth rates, hatch dates) of individuals, and used a set of statistical models to infer spatial variation in demographic histories. I found differences in size and age structure between regions, and a temporal effect of hatch date on larval/juvenile growth rates.  In addition, I obtained samples of R. retropinna from a sea-going population at the Hutt river mouth (sampled fish were presumed to be migrating upstream after their development period in Wellington Harbour and/or adjacent coastal environments). While Lake Taupo is large, deep, fresh, oligotrophic and strongly stratified for 8-9 months outside of winter, Wellington Harbour is less than a sixth of the area, shallow, saline, eutrophic and never stratified. These greatly differing environmental conditions led me to expect that these systems’ R. retropinna populations would carry significantly different demographic attributes. I compared the hatching phenology, recruitment age, body morphology, and individual growth histories (reconstructed from otoliths) of R. retropinna sampled from Lake Taupo and Wellington Harbour. I explored the relationships between demographic variation and environmental variation (water temperature, chlorophyll a) for the two systems and found that this additional environmental information could account for much of the seasonal variation in daily otolith increment widths of R. retropinna. My results also suggest that while the two sampled populations likely share similar hatching and spawning phenologies, individuals from Lake Taupo tend to grow more slowly, particularly during winter, and end up smaller than sea-going fish sampled near Wellington. I speculate that these differences reflect variation in food supply (zooplankton may be limited in Lake Taupo over winter).  Overall, my results demonstrate a high degree of variation in morphological and life-history traits within a single species, potentially driven by an interaction between environmental variation and timing of development. My work contributes to a growing body of literature on demographic heterogeneity, and may help to inform the management of landlocked populations of R. retropinna in Lake Taupo.</p>

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