Abstract
A reduced probability of finding mates at low densities is a frequently hypothesized mechanism for a component Allee effect. At low densities dispersers are less likely to find mates and establish new breeding units. However, many mathematical models for an Allee effect do not make a distinction between breeding group establishment and subsequent population growth. Our objective is to derive a spatially explicit mathematical model, where dispersers have a reduced probability of finding mates at low densities, and parameterize the model for wolf recolonization in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). In this model, only the probability of establishing new breeding units is influenced by the reduced probability of finding mates at low densities. We analytically and numerically solve the model to determine the effect of a decreased probability in finding mates at low densities on population spread rate and density. Our results suggest that a reduced probability of finding mates at low densities may slow recolonization rate.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 244-254 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Theoretical Population Biology |
| Volume | 70 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 2006 |
Funding
We benefitted greatly from data collected as part of Yellowstone Wolf Project and from the online availability of Yellowstone Wolf Project annual reports. We thank two anonymous reviewers, the Lewis and Merrill labs, Fangliang He and Doug Smith for helpful comments on the manuscript. We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the following sources: MITACS (A.H.), Canon National Parks Science Scholarship for the Americas (M.H.), NSERC Discovery and CRO grants (M.A.L.) and a Canada Research Chair (M.A.L.).
| Funders |
|---|
| Mitacs Canadian Science Policy Fellow |
Keywords
- Allee effect
- Component Allee effect
- Integrodifference equation
- Pair formation
- Spread rate
- Wolf recolonization