Abstract
The intrinsic rate of increase of an animal population, rm, is specific to the environment in which it is measured. Previous estimates of maximum growth rates for reindeer and caribou Rangifer tarandus populations were based on introductions to islands with cool oceanic climates. The mean intrinsic rate of increase of 6 populations was 0.26 ranging from 0.21 on St Paul Island in the Bering Sea to 0.29 in the Barff herd on South Georgia. I calculated rm for two Rangifer populations introduced to arctic environments to determine the effect of environmental severity on the intrinsic rate of increase. Reindeer on the Belcher islands increased at rm= 0.28 and caribou on Southampton Island increased at rm = 0.23 (mean = 0.26). The lower primary productivity and longer duration of snow cover in arctic environments did not affect the intrinsic rate of increase.
Highlights
The intrinsic rate of increase of an animal population, r, is specific to the environment in which it is measured
R m, is worth knowing for a variety o f estimates o f maximum population growth rates practical and fundamental purposes e.g., to in Rangifer have all been from island environcompare the favourability o f different environ- ments with cool oceanic climates (ie., 4-5 ments (Begon et al 1986), to estimate sustai- months with snow cover)
1971), and to indicate potential population re- populations introduced to islands with arctic gulation mechanisms (Bergerud 1980, 1983, climates and Caughley and Krebs 1983, Tanner 1975). r m compare the intrinsic rates o f increase in the is best estimated by measuring the growth o f a two environments
Summary
The intrinsic rate of increase of an animal population, r , is specific to the environment in which it is measured. Previous estimates of maximum growth rates for reindeer and caribou Rangifer tarandus populations were based on introductions to islands with cool oceanic climates. R m , is worth knowing for a variety o f estimates o f maximum population growth rates practical and fundamental purposes e.g., to in Rangifer have all been from island environcompare the favourability o f different environ- ments with cool oceanic climates (ie., 4-5 ments (Begon et al 1986), to estimate sustai- months with snow cover). Snow cover persists for about 8 months o f the year Both Southhampton and the Belcher islands are usually surrounded by open water even in winter
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