The Estimation of Density Dependence

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc

E-ISSN: 1939-9170|49|3|555-556

ISSN: 0012-9658

Source: Ecology, Vol.49, Iss.3, 1968-05, pp. : 555-556

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Abstract

Andrewartha (1963) and Watt (1964) state that the correlation of the ratios of successive population densities (Nt+1/Nt) with initial densities (Nt) will show a negative correlation in the absence of true density dependent mortality and fecundity because Nt+1/Nt and Nt are not independent variables. For the common situation where population densities after successive time intervals are not independent of initial densities, this correlation would in fact be zero, and, in addition, the use of random numbers as a model for the null hypothesis of density dependence is not valid.