You have full text access to this OnlineOpen article

Statistical modelling of the population dynamics of a raptor community in a semi-desert environment

  1. Oliver Krüger1,*,
  2. Richard Liversidge2,
  3. Jan Lindström3

Article first published online: 12 JUL 2002

DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2656.2002.00626.x

Issue

Journal of Animal Ecology

Journal of Animal Ecology

Volume 71, Issue 4, pages 603–613, July 2002

Additional Information

How to Cite

Krüger, O., Liversidge, R. and Lindström, J. (2002), Statistical modelling of the population dynamics of a raptor community in a semi-desert environment. Journal of Animal Ecology, 71: 603–613. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2656.2002.00626.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK;

  2. 2

    22 Synagogue Street, 8301 Kimberley, South Africa; and

  3. 3

    Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Division of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK

* Oliver Krüger, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK. Tel. + 44 1223 336610; Fax: + 44 1223 336676; E-mail: ok212@cam.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 12 JUL 2002
  2. Article first published online: 12 JUL 2002
  3. Received 7 August 2001; accepted 12 February 2002

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (177K)

Keywords:

  • community;
  • density dependence;
  • population abundance and growth rate;
  • rainfall;
  • raptor;
  • statistical modelling

Summary

  • 1
    We performed an extensive statistical modelling study on the population fluctuations and population growth rates of 15 raptor species in the Kalahari desert in South Africa.
  • 2
    The correlation pattern between rainfall and population abundance changed systematically with raptor body weight and diet type. The abundance of heavier raptors feeding on larger prey-items had lower correlations with rainfall than lighter raptors feeding on small prey-items. Whereas raptor species feeding on small prey-items were more affected by immediate rainfall, species feeding on large prey-items were more affected by rainfall in the previous year.
  • 3
    Population abundances were explained most parsimoniously by direct and delayed density dependence and rainfall during the current and previous breeding season. Interspecific competition was never a predictor variable. Population abundances of species best described by rainfall fed on larger prey-items than population abundances of species best described by density dependence.
  • 4
    Population growth rates were always best described by direct density dependence. The strength of density dependence was positively correlated with reproduction rate, due mainly to Falconiform species having higher reproduction rates than Accipitrid species.
  • 5
    Shifting from the species to the guild level, we found that abundance and biomass shares of feeding guilds did not vary significantly over time, supporting the hypothesis of guild constancy.
View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (177K)