Stochastic population dynamics of clonal plants: Numerical experiments with ramet and genet models |
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Authors: | Ove Eriksson |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Botany, Stokholm University, S-106 91 Stokholm, Sweden |
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Abstract: | Dynamics of ramer and genet populations were analyzed by use of stochastic matrix models. Based on field data, population
development and extinction rates during 50 simulated years were estimated for ramet populations of three speciesPotentilla anserina, Rubus saxatilis andLinnaea borealis. Only small initial populations (below 125–250 ramets), experienced a detectable risk of extinction within this time interval.
ForP. anserina andR. saxatilis, population increase occurred in some simulations despite negative average growth rates. A model for stochastic genet dynamics
was constructed by combining field data and hypothesized parameter values. Growth rate and population structure were insensitive
to variation in disturbance intensity and frequency, whereas variation in recruitment affected population structure but only
to a minor extent growth rate. Decreasing recruitment causes extinction of genet populations, but the time-scale for the decline
is in the magnitude of centuries for initial genet populations of about 1000 individuals. Dynamics of genets in clonal plants
thus incorporate processes occurring on widely different scales. Some implications of the results for models of population
dynamics in long-lived clonal plants are discussed. |
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Keywords: | demography disturbance matrix models population persistence recruitment |
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