Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The determination of key factors from life table data

  • Published:
Oecologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

A new method is proposed for detecting key factors from life tables for animals whose life-cycle is divided into several stages. This method is based upon an equation that partitions the variance of the number alive at the end of the life-cycle into components associated with variation in the number entering the first stage of the cycle, variation in survival rates, and also density-dependent aspects of survival. It is illustrated by analysing Blank and Ash's (1962) census data for a population of partridges. The conclusions reached are somewhat different from those reached by Blank et al. (1967) when they applied Varley and Gradwell's (1960) type of key factor analysis to the same set of data.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Blank, T.H., Ash, J.S.: Fluctuations in a partridge population. In: The exploitation of natural animal populations (E.D. Le Cren and M.W. Holdgate, eds.) pp. 118–130 Oxford: Blackwell 1962

    Google Scholar 

  • Blank, T.H., Southwood, T.R.E., Cross, D.J.: The ecology of the partridge. I. Outline of the population process with particular reference to chick mortality and nest density. J. Anim. Ecol. 36, 549–556 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hassel, M.P. and Huffaker, C.B.: Regulatory processes and population cyclicity in laboratory populations of Anagasta kuhniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Phycitidae). III. The development of population models. Res. Popul. Ecol. 11, 186–210 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ito, Y.: On the methods for determining density dependence by means of regression. Oecologia (Berl.) 10, 347–372 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Luck, R.F.: An appraisal of two methods for analysing insect life tables. Can. Ent. 103, 1261–1271 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Metcalf, J.R.: An analysis of the population dynamics of the Jamaican sugar cane pest Saccharosydne saccharivora (Westw.) (Hom. Delphacidae). Bull. Ent. Res. 62, 73–85 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Podoler, H., Rogers, D.: A new method for the identification of key factors from life table data. J. Anim. Ecol. 44, 85–115 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Varley, G.C., Gradwell, G.R.: Key factors in population studies. J. Anim. Ecol. 29, 399–401 (1960)

    Google Scholar 

  • Varley, G.C., Gradwell, G.R.: Population models for the winter moth. In: Insect abundance (T.R.E. Southwood, ed.), pp. 132–142. Symp. Roy. Ent. Soc. 4 (1968)

  • Varley, G.C., Gradwell, G.R.: Recent advances in insect population dynamics. Ann. Rev. Ent. 15, 1–24 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Varley, G.C., Gradwell, G.R., Hassel, M.P.: Insect population ecology. Oxford: Blackwell 1973

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biometrics Unit, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand

    B. F. J. Manly

Authors
  1. B. F. J. Manly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Manly, B.F.J. The determination of key factors from life table data. Oecologia 31, 111–117 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00348714

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00348714

Keywords

Search

Navigation