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Capybara pp 147–167Cite as

Capybara Demographic Traits

Abstract

An understanding of the structure, demography and dynamics of animal populations underpins species conservation and management. For a given population, a number of demographic parameters, which may be obtained from short- or long-term studies, are useful in this regard. These parameters explain the broad features of a species’ life cycle, and include birth, age at maturity, number of offspring, growth, reproductive investment, and death and length of life (Stearns 1992). Most of these life history traits can be summarized in a “life table,” an important tool in the study of populations (Sinclair et al. 2006). Demographic traits have important uses in conservation (e.g., in the reintroduction and recovery of species), agriculture (evaluating the effect of biological control or reduction of pest species), and human health (effects of epidemics or malnutrition). They are also useful for managing the sustainable use of species of economic interest.

Keywords

  • Rainy Season
  • Life Table
  • Life History Trait
  • Reproductive Investment
  • Population Turnover

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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Acknowledgments

Part of the work presented was supported financially by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (Brazil) in the form of a scholarship to JRM, the International Foundation for Science (Sweden), Wildlife Conservation International (USA), and the Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa Família Alencar (Brazil). JRM thanks Matthew Eaggle and Anthony Davidson for statistical support, J. R. Clarke for help in the reproductive studies and S. Casement for editorial suggestions. We also acknowledge the assistance and hospitality of the Lobato family, Belém (Brazil), and especially the support of employees from the Eco-Búfalos Farm on Marajó Island (Brazil). We thank the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo – FAPESP (Proc. No. 00/00180-9, 00/00602-0, 05/00405-4, 06/04878-7).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Parque Estação Biológica, Final W5 Norte, Brasília, Distrito Federal, 70770-900, Brazil

    José Roberto Moreira

  2. SHIS QI 23 CH 3, Brasília, Distrito Federal, 71660-710, Brazil

    Helga Wiederhecker

  3. Departamento de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Pádua Dias 11, Piracicaba, São Paulo, 13418-900, Brazil

    Katia Maria P. M. B. Ferraz

  4. Independent consultant on biodiversity and landscape, Calle 16, No, 1 F-12, Puerto Colombia, Atlantico, Colombia

    Juanita Aldana-Domínguez

  5. Laboratório de Ecologia Isotópica, CENA, Universidade de São Paulo, 96, Piracicaba, São Paulo, 13416-000, Brazil

    Luciano M. Verdade

  6. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Zoology Department, University of Oxford The Recanati-Kaplan Centre Oxford, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Abingdon, OX13 5QL, UK

    David W. Macdonald

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  1. José Roberto Moreira
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  2. Helga Wiederhecker
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  3. Katia Maria P. M. B. Ferraz
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  4. Juanita Aldana-Domínguez
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  5. Luciano M. Verdade
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  6. David W. Macdonald
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Correspondence to José Roberto Moreira .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnolog, Av. W5 Norte, Brasília, DF-70770, Brazil

    José Roberto Moreira

  2. , Departamento de Ciências Florestais, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Pádua Dias 11, Piracicaba, 13418-900, São Paulo, Brazil

    Katia Maria P.M.B. Ferraz

  3. Universidad Simón Bolívar, Miranda-Apartado, Caracas, 8900, Venezuela

    Emilio A. Herrera

  4. , Zoology Dept., University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Oxford, OX13 5QL, United Kingdom

    David W. Macdonald

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Moreira, J.R., Wiederhecker, H., Ferraz, K.M.P.M.B., Aldana-Domínguez, J., Verdade, L.M., Macdonald, D.W. (2013). Capybara Demographic Traits. In: Moreira, J., Ferraz, K., Herrera, E., Macdonald, D. (eds) Capybara. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4000-0_8

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