TAILIEUCHUNG - Stephens & Foraging - Behavior and Ecology - Chapter 11

11 Foraging and Population Dynamics Every ecology textbook tells the story of snowshoe hare cycles. The vaguely sinusoidal plots of hare densities wiggle across the bloodless page. The hare population traces out a complete cycle every 8 to 11 years; the difference between low- and high-population years. | iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Part IV Foraging Ecology Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll 11 Foraging and Population Dynamics Robert D. Holt and Tristan Kimbrell Prologue Every ecology textbook tells the story of snowshoe hare cycles. The vaguely sinusoidal plots of hare densities wiggle across the bloodless page. The hare population traces out a complete cycle every 8 to 11 years the difference between low- and high-population years can be as much as a hundredfold. The on-the-ground reality of the hare cycle is anything but dry and academic. In peak years the undergrowth of the boreal forest virtually quivers with hares. For the lynx the cycle s peak means easy pickings and a distended stomach a few short bounds then a pounce then a satiated lynx and blood on the snow. Many other predators also feed on hares in the peak years. It is a different story in the low-population years. A world once spread with hare biomass is nearly empty. Without a ready supply of snowshoe hares some lynx pursue red squirrels which are smaller and harder to catch. Notwithstanding the difficulties lynx adapt to squirrel hunting and many continue to pursue squirrels even as the hare population recovers. The behavioral inertia of the lynx reduces the predation rate experienced by hares and helps the hare population return to its peak. The connections between lynx foraging behavior and hare populations flow in both directions. The size of the hare population changes how .

TỪ KHÓA LIÊN QUAN
Đã phát hiện trình chặn quảng cáo AdBlock
Trang web này phụ thuộc vào doanh thu từ số lần hiển thị quảng cáo để tồn tại. Vui lòng tắt trình chặn quảng cáo của bạn hoặc tạm dừng tính năng chặn quảng cáo cho trang web này.