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Generation time and temporal scaling of bird population dynamics

Author

Listed:
  • Bernt-Erik Sæther

    (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

  • Russell Lande

    (University of California San Diego)

  • Steinar Engen

    (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

  • Henri Weimerskirch

    (CEBC – CNRS)

  • Magnar Lillegård

    (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

  • Res Altwegg

    (University of Victoria)

  • Peter H. Becker

    (Institut für Vogelforschung, Vogelwarte Helgoland)

  • Thomas Bregnballe

    (National Environmental Research Institute, Department of Coastal Zone Ecology, Kalø)

  • Jon E. Brommer

    (University of Helsinki)

  • Robin H. McCleery

    (University of Oxford)

  • Juha Merilä

    (University of Helsinki)

  • Erik Nyholm

    (Umeå University)

  • Wallace Rendell

    (Loyalist College)

  • Raleigh R. Robertson

    (Queen's University)

  • Piotr Tryjanowski

    (Adam Mickiewicz University)

  • Marcel E. Visser

    (Netherlands Institute of Ecology)

Abstract

Theoretical studies have shown that variation in density regulation strongly influences population dynamics1, yet our understanding of factors influencing the strength of density dependence in natural populations still is limited2. Consequently, few general hypotheses have been advanced to explain the large differences between species in the magnitude of population fluctuations3,4,5,6. One reason for this is that the detection of density regulation in population time series is complicated by time lags induced by the life history of species7,8 that make it difficult to separate the relative contributions of intrinsic and extrinsic factors to the population dynamics. Here we use population time series for 23 bird species to estimate parameters of a stochastic density-dependent age-structured model. We show that both the strength of total density dependence in the life history and the magnitude of environmental stochasticity, including transient fluctuations in age structure, increase with generation time. These results indicate that the relationships between demographic and life-history traits in birds9,10 translate into distinct population dynamical patterns that are apparent only on a scale of generations.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernt-Erik Sæther & Russell Lande & Steinar Engen & Henri Weimerskirch & Magnar Lillegård & Res Altwegg & Peter H. Becker & Thomas Bregnballe & Jon E. Brommer & Robin H. McCleery & Juha Merilä & Erik , 2005. "Generation time and temporal scaling of bird population dynamics," Nature, Nature, vol. 436(7047), pages 99-102, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:436:y:2005:i:7047:d:10.1038_nature03666
    DOI: 10.1038/nature03666
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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.
    2. Salvador Herrando-Pérez & Steven Delean & Barry W Brook & Phillip Cassey & Corey J A Bradshaw, 2014. "Spatial Climate Patterns Explain Negligible Variation in Strength of Compensatory Density Feedbacks in Birds and Mammals," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(3), pages 1-12, March.

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