Skip to main content
Publications | Persons | Institutes | Projects
[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Life‐history strategy varies with the strength of competition in a food‐limited ungulate population
Kentie, R.; Clegg, S.M.; Tuljapurkar, S.; Gaillard, J.-M.; Coulson, T. (2020). Life‐history strategy varies with the strength of competition in a food‐limited ungulate population. Ecol. Lett. 23(5): 811-820. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ele.13470

Additional data:
In: Ecology Letters. Blackwell: Oxford. ISSN 1461-023X; e-ISSN 1461-0248, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Author keywords
    density dependence; evolution; IPM; K-selection; life history; life-history trade-offs; population dynamics; r-selection; Soay sheep; stochasticity

Authors  Top 
  • Kentie, R., more
  • Clegg, S.M.
  • Tuljapurkar, S.
  • Gaillard, J.-M.
  • Coulson, T.

Abstract
    Fluctuating population density in stochastic environments can contribute to maintain life‐history variation within populations via density‐dependent selection. We used individual‐based data from a population of Soay sheep to examine variation in life‐history strategies at high and low population density. We incorporated life‐history trade‐offs among survival, reproduction and body mass growth into structured population models and found support for the prediction that different life‐history strategies are optimal at low and high population densities. Shorter generation times and lower asymptotic body mass were selected for in high‐density environments even though heavier individuals had higher probabilities to survive and reproduce. In contrast, greater asymptotic body mass and longer generation times were optimal at low population density. If populations fluctuate between high density when resources are scarce, and low densities when they are abundant, the variation in density will generate fluctuating selection for different life‐history strategies, that could act to maintain life‐history variation.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors