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Hurricane-induced demographic changes in a non-human primate population
Dana O Morcillo1, Ulrich K Steiner2, Kristine L Grayson1
1Department of Biology, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA, USA.
Royal Society Open Science
|September 24, 2020
Summary
Hurricanes can impact animal populations, but long-lived species show demographic buffering. Survival is key, as reduced fertility alone does not harm population fitness during these extreme climate events.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Population Biology
- Climate Change Impacts
Background:
- Extreme climatic events like hurricanes pose threats to animal populations.
- Understanding demographic responses to disturbances is crucial for conservation.
- Climate change is predicted to increase hurricane frequency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the long-term effects of major hurricanes on non-human primate population fitness.
- To investigate the demographic mechanisms underlying population responses to extreme events.
- To assess the impact of hurricanes on population growth rate, survival, and fertility.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a 45-year demographic dataset of free-ranging non-human primates.
- Constructed matrix population models using individual-level data.
- Performed perturbation analyses to examine demographic contributions.
Main Results:
- Hurricanes reduced population growth rates primarily through decreased fertility.
- A demographic buffering effect was observed during hurricane years.
- Population fitness was maintained as long as survival rates did not decline.
Conclusions:
- Survival is a more critical factor than fertility for maintaining population fitness in long-lived species facing hurricanes.
- Hurricanes may not have detrimental long-term effects on population viability if survival is unaffected.
- This highlights the resilience of certain animal populations to extreme climatic events.
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