JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it. Experimental study of species invasion : early population dynamics and role of disturbance in invasion success. Show download details Hide download details. Reznick, David N. Ecological Monographs, Early online. DOI: Julkaistu sarjassa Ecological Monographs. De Bona, Sebastiano. Torres, Mauricio. Bassar, Ronald D. Much of our understanding of natural invasions is retrospective, based on data acquired after invaders become established.
As a consequence, we know little about the characteristics of the early population growth and habitat use of the invaders during establishment. Here we report on experimental introductions of guppies into natural streams in which we conducted monthly censuses of each population.
Two of the four introductions were in streams with thinned canopies, which mimics a common form of habitat disturbance. We conducted similar censuses of natural populations to characterize natural population densities and generate a null distribution against which we could test a priori hypotheses about the establishment of the experimental invaders. We constructed a pedigree for one population, which enabled us to quantify lifetime reproductive success. Experimental populations in streams with thinned canopies grew to densities that often exceeded those of natural streams with intact canopies.
High population densities were associated with the increased use of marginal habitat. Adult females and males that moved into marginal habitat suffered no apparent fitness loss, suggesting lower population densities found there compensated for lower habitat quality. DOI Kokoelmat Matemaattis-luonnontieteellinen tiedekunta []. Hae DSpacesta.
