Stability in Model Populations (MPB-31) / Laurence D. Mueller, Amitabh Joshi.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mueller, Laurence D., Author.

Joshi, Amitabh, Author.

Series:

Monographs in population biology ; 31.

Monographs in Population Biology ; 110

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Population biology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (334 pages) : illustrations.

Place of Publication:

Princeton, NJ : Princeton University Press, [2020]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

Throughout the twentieth century, biologists investigated the mechanisms that stabilize biological populations, populations which--if unchecked by such agencies as competition and predation--should grow geometrically. How is order in nature maintained in the face of the seemingly disorderly struggle for existence? In this book, Laurence Mueller and Amitabh Joshi examine current theories of population stability and show how recent laboratory research on model populations--particularly blowflies, Tribolium, and Drosophila--contributes to our understanding of population dynamics and the evolution of stability. The authors review the general theory of population stability and critically analyze techniques for inferring whether a given population is in balance or not. They then show how rigorous empirical research can reveal both the proximal causes of stability (how populations are regulated and maintained at an equilibrium, including the relative roles of biotic and abiotic factors) and its ultimate, mostly evolutionary causes. In the process, they describe experimental studies on model systems that address the effects of age-structure, inbreeding, resource levels, and population structure on the stability and persistence of populations. The discussion incorporates the authors' own findings on the evolution of population stability in Drosophila. They go on to relate laboratory work to studies of animals in the wild and to develop a general framework for relating the life history and ecology of a species to its population dynamics. This accessible, finely written illustration of how carefully designed experiments can improve theory will have tremendous value for all ecologists and evolutionary biologists.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Preface and Acknowledgements

Contents

CHAPTER ONE. Introduction

CHAPTER TWO. Theory of Population Stability

CHAPTER THREE. Techniques for Assessing Population Stability

CHAPTER FOUR. Blowflies

CHAPTER FIVE. Tribolium

CHAPTER SIX. Drosophila

CHAPTER SEVEN. Natural Populations

CHAPTER EIGHT. Conclusions

References

Author Index

Subject Index

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 24. Apr 2020)

ISBN:

9780691209944

0691209944

OCLC:

1153475445