Abstract
The finite annual rate of population increase (λ) is a fundamental demographic parameter that characterizes the relative annual change in animal numbers. Uncertainty in the estimation of λ from demographic population viability analyses (PVAs) has been largely limited to sensitivity analysis, calculating a pseudo-distribution for over(λ, ̂) using Monte Carlo methods, or by use of bootstrap methods. The delta method has been used and suggested by several researchers, but no one has provided the computational means to implement it. In this paper, we present Mathematica code to calculate λ and its variance based on eigenvalue calculations of a Leslie transition matrix. We demonstrate the procedure using data from a Hawaiian hawk (Buteo solitarius) study.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 359-364 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Environmental Modelling and Software |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2007 |
Keywords
- Delta method
- Eigenvalue
- Lambda
- Leslie matrix
- Rate of increase
- Wildlife