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Density, climate and varying return points: an analysis of long-term population fluctuations in the threatened European tree frog

Pellet, Jérôme ; Schmidt, Benedikt ; Fivaz, Fabien ; Perrin, Nicolas ; Grossenbacher, Kurt

In: Oecologia, 2006, vol. 149, no. 1, p. 65-71

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    Titel
    • Density, climate and varying return points: an analysis of long-term population fluctuations in the threatened European tree frog
    Autor
    • Pellet, Jérôme. Laboratory for Conservation Biology, Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Biology Building, 1015, Dorigny, Switzerland
    • Schmidt, Benedikt. KARCH, Naturhistorisches Museum, Bernastrasse 15, 3005, Bern, Switzerland
    • Fivaz, Fabien. KARCH, Naturhistorisches Museum, Bernastrasse 15, 3005, Bern, Switzerland
    • Perrin, Nicolas. Laboratory for Conservation Biology, Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Biology Building, 1015, Dorigny, Switzerland
    • Grossenbacher, Kurt. Abteilung Wirbeltiere, Naturhistorisches Museum, Bernastrasse 15, 3005, Bern, Switzerland
    Dokumententyp
    • Postprint
    OAI-PMH-ID
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:316858
    Summary
    Experimental research has identified many putative agents of amphibian decline, yet the population-level consequences of these agents remain unknown, owing to lack of information on compensatory density dependence in natural populations. Here, we investigate the relative importance of intrinsic (density-dependent) and extrinsic (climatic) factors impacting the dynamics of a tree frog (Hyla arborea) population over 22years. A combination of log-linear density dependence and rainfall (with a 2-year time lag corresponding to development time) explain 75% of the variance in the rate of increase. Such fluctuations around a variable return point might be responsible for the seemingly erratic demography and disequilibrium dynamics of many amphibian populations