Population‐specific life histories contribute to metapopulation viability
Abstract Restoration efforts can be improved by understanding how variations in life‐history traits occur within populations of the same species living in different environments. This can be done by first understanding the demographic responses of natural occurring populations. Population viability...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2016-11-01
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| Series: | Ecosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1536 |
| _version_ | 1818498802333515776 |
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| author | Samniqueka J. Halsey Timothy J. Bell Kathryn McEachern Noel B. Pavlovic |
| author_facet | Samniqueka J. Halsey Timothy J. Bell Kathryn McEachern Noel B. Pavlovic |
| author_sort | Samniqueka J. Halsey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Restoration efforts can be improved by understanding how variations in life‐history traits occur within populations of the same species living in different environments. This can be done by first understanding the demographic responses of natural occurring populations. Population viability analysis continues to be useful to species management and conservation with sensitivity analysis aiding in the understanding of population dynamics. In this study, using life‐table response experiments and elasticity analyses, we investigated how population‐specific life‐history demographic responses contributed to the metapopulation viability of the Federally threatened Pitcher's thistle (Cirsium pitcheri). Specifically, we tested the following hypotheses: (1) Subpopulations occupying different environments within a metapopulation have independent demographic responses and (2) advancing succession results in a shift from a demographic response focused on growth and fecundity to one dominated by stasis. Our results showed that reintroductions had a positive contribution to the metapopulation growth rate as compared to native populations which had a negative contribution. We found no difference in succession on the contribution to metapopulation viability. In addition, we identified distinct population‐specific contributions to metapopulation viability and were able to associate specific life‐history demographic responses. For example, the positive impact of Miller High Dunes population on the metapopulation growth rate resulted from high growth contributions, whereas increased time of plant in stasis for the State Park Big Blowout population resulted in negative contributions. A greater understanding of how separate populations respond in their corresponding environment may ultimately lead to more effective management strategies aimed at reducing extinction risk. We propose the continued use of sensitivity analyses to evaluate population‐specific demographic influences on metapopulation viability. In understanding the underlying causes of the projected extinction probabilities of each population and identifying broad‐scale contributions of different populations to the metapopulation, the process of pinpointing target populations is simplified. More detailed analyses can then be applied to the target populations to increase population viability and consequently metapopulation viability. Based on our research, we suggest that the best approach to improve the overall metapopulation viability is to manage the contributions to population growth for each population separately. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:20:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9dbf411eb591432b92d5ca2e767e05cc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2150-8925 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:20:33Z |
| publishDate | 2016-11-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-9dbf411eb591432b92d5ca2e767e05cc2022-12-22T01:35:03ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252016-11-01711n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.1536Population‐specific life histories contribute to metapopulation viabilitySamniqueka J. Halsey0Timothy J. Bell1Kathryn McEachern2Noel B. Pavlovic3Department of Biological Sciences Chicago State University 9501 South King Drive Chicago Illinois 60628 USADepartment of Biological Sciences Chicago State University 9501 South King Drive Chicago Illinois 60628 USAU.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center Channel Islands Field Station, 1901 Spinnaker Drive Ventura California 93001 USAU.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center 1574 North 300 East Chesterton Indiana 46304 USAAbstract Restoration efforts can be improved by understanding how variations in life‐history traits occur within populations of the same species living in different environments. This can be done by first understanding the demographic responses of natural occurring populations. Population viability analysis continues to be useful to species management and conservation with sensitivity analysis aiding in the understanding of population dynamics. In this study, using life‐table response experiments and elasticity analyses, we investigated how population‐specific life‐history demographic responses contributed to the metapopulation viability of the Federally threatened Pitcher's thistle (Cirsium pitcheri). Specifically, we tested the following hypotheses: (1) Subpopulations occupying different environments within a metapopulation have independent demographic responses and (2) advancing succession results in a shift from a demographic response focused on growth and fecundity to one dominated by stasis. Our results showed that reintroductions had a positive contribution to the metapopulation growth rate as compared to native populations which had a negative contribution. We found no difference in succession on the contribution to metapopulation viability. In addition, we identified distinct population‐specific contributions to metapopulation viability and were able to associate specific life‐history demographic responses. For example, the positive impact of Miller High Dunes population on the metapopulation growth rate resulted from high growth contributions, whereas increased time of plant in stasis for the State Park Big Blowout population resulted in negative contributions. A greater understanding of how separate populations respond in their corresponding environment may ultimately lead to more effective management strategies aimed at reducing extinction risk. We propose the continued use of sensitivity analyses to evaluate population‐specific demographic influences on metapopulation viability. In understanding the underlying causes of the projected extinction probabilities of each population and identifying broad‐scale contributions of different populations to the metapopulation, the process of pinpointing target populations is simplified. More detailed analyses can then be applied to the target populations to increase population viability and consequently metapopulation viability. Based on our research, we suggest that the best approach to improve the overall metapopulation viability is to manage the contributions to population growth for each population separately.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1536demographic responseselasticity analysislife‐table response experimentsPitcher's thistlerestorations |
| spellingShingle | Samniqueka J. Halsey Timothy J. Bell Kathryn McEachern Noel B. Pavlovic Population‐specific life histories contribute to metapopulation viability Ecosphere demographic responses elasticity analysis life‐table response experiments Pitcher's thistle restorations |
| title | Population‐specific life histories contribute to metapopulation viability |
| title_full | Population‐specific life histories contribute to metapopulation viability |
| title_fullStr | Population‐specific life histories contribute to metapopulation viability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Population‐specific life histories contribute to metapopulation viability |
| title_short | Population‐specific life histories contribute to metapopulation viability |
| title_sort | population specific life histories contribute to metapopulation viability |
| topic | demographic responses elasticity analysis life‐table response experiments Pitcher's thistle restorations |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1536 |
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