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Quantifying density dependence in a bird population using human disturbance.

John W Mallord1, Paul M Dolman, Andy Brown

  • 1Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, Schools of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK. john.mallord@rspb.org.uk

Oecologia
|May 5, 2007
PubMed
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Density dependence significantly impacts woodlark populations, affecting chick mass, survival, and starvation rates. Habitat quality, acting as a proxy for food abundance, mediates these effects on breeding output.

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Population Biology
  • Conservation Biology

Background:

  • Density dependence is crucial for population regulation but challenging to demonstrate spatially in wildlife.
  • Variation in habitat quality often confounds studies on spatial density dependence.
  • Woodlarks (Lullula arborea) are a European conservation concern, breeding on lowland heath.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate spatial density dependence in woodlark populations.
  • To utilize the birds' response to human disturbance to isolate density effects from habitat quality.
  • To understand the demographic mechanisms through which density dependence operates.

Main Methods:

  • Studied woodlarks breeding on lowland heath in Dorset, England.
  • Used human disturbance as a proxy for density variation, independent of habitat quality.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analyzed chick mass, nestling mortality, fledging success, and post-fledging survival in relation to density.

    • Main Results:

    • Higher woodlark density was associated with smaller mean chick masses, lower post-fledging survival, and increased starvation-related nestling mortality.
    • Density-dependent effects on clutch size were weak, but starvation and post-fledging mortality strongly influenced breeding output.
    • Heavier chicks had higher fledging and survival rates, and heavier broods contributed more recruits.

    Conclusions:

    • Density dependence operates spatially in woodlarks, primarily mediated by habitat quality acting as a surrogate for food abundance.
    • The number of birds per hectare of suitable habitat is a valid measure of density.
    • Density-dependent processes significantly impact woodlark breeding success and population dynamics.