PLNT 460 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Sensitivity Analysis
3 Sep 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Plants evolved to occupy a specific niche, and must compete for resources. Competitive interactions can determine population structure and resource allocation. Size can be a better indicator of survivorship and fecundity than age. More trees overall further away from the path. High mortality rate in lower classes (only a few trees mature) Mathematical models help ecologists to understand and make predictions about the fate of a population. General population growth model: nt+1 = nt + bt - dt. Life cycle graphs show the probabilities of the possible transitions between stages p (survivorship)-probability that one individual will pass from one stage to another in a given time f (fecundity)- average number of seeds produced by mature individuals. These values are put into a transition matrix to create a model (growth rate) nt+x = x. Minimum viable population- individuals required for a high probability of survival. Sensitivity analysis- which stages have the strongest effect on population growth.
