Reduction In Population Growth Rate Research Articles

Will all species with temperature-dependent sex determination respond the same way to climate change? A reply to Kallimanis (2010)

Recently, Kallimanis (2010) published a paper proposing a mechanism by which temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) may play a key role at facilitating species with this strategy to track their climatic niches across space under climate change. Kallimanis hypothesized that TSD species currently inhabiting stable climatic conditions show reduced population growth rates at the edges of their distributional ranges; under warming conditions, these populations will experience faster growth rates and thus are able to colonize new suitable sites. These ideas are based on the assumption that populations of TSD species have balanced sex ratios at the core of their geographic ranges and biased proportions at the edges. However, Kallimanis’ model overlooks complex processes that may produce a more broadly and less predictable aftermath of climate change on TSD species, so we discuss some of his postulates and underlying assumptions. Kallimanis’ model is based only on one of three known TSD strategies in reptiles, thus it lacks generality; and it does not consider the phenological, behavioral, and physiological strategies that TSD species exhibit across their geographic ranges to buffer the potential impacts of climatic variation over the whole reproductive process. We conclude that simple models such as the one proposed by Kallimanis are not broadly applicable; hence, forecasts of TSD species’ responses to climate change will need to be more specific to groups with similar ecologies and modes of TSD.

Response of non-native lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) to 15 years of harvest in Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park

Introduced lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ) threaten to extirpate native Yellowstone cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri ) in the 34 000 ha Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park, USA. Suppression (and eventual eradication) of the lake trout population is deemed necessary for the conservation of Yellowstone cutthroat trout. A US National Park Service gill-netting program removed nearly 450 000 lake trout from Yellowstone Lake from 1995 through 2009. We examined temporal variation in individual growth, body condition, length and age at maturity, fecundity, mortality, and population models to assess the efficacy of the lake trout suppression program. Population metrics did not indicate overharvest despite more than a decade of fish removal. The current rate of population growth is positive; however, it is lower than it would be in the absence of lake trout suppression. Fishing effort needs to increase above observed levels to reduce population growth rate below replacement. Additionally, high sensitivity of population growth rate to reproductive vital rates indicates that increasing fishing mortality for sexually mature lake trout may increase the effectiveness of suppression. Lake trout suppression in Yellowstone Lake illustrates the complexities of trying to remove an apex predator to restore a relatively large remote lentic ecosystem with a simple fish assemblage.

A systems approach for analyzing vegetative and soil degradation in Arnigad micro-watershed of Indian Himalayan region

This study analyzes the vegetative and soil degradation, measured as biomass and soil loss, for Arnigad micro-watershed located in Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, in systems framework by using dynamic linear programming bio-economic model. The focus is at investigating the effects of alternate policy regimes, i.e., introduction of improved energy sources for cooking along with substitution of existing local livestock breeds with improved breed, reduction in human population growth and introduction of high yielding varieties of main crops including paddy, maize and wheat. The model horizon extended over a period of 25 years, i.e., from 2006 to 2030. It was found that the model scenario incorporating increased use of improved energy sources along with substitution of local cows by improved cows could be the most effective policy option in reducing vegetative and soil degradation. The vegetative biomass density declined to 19.76% compared to 35.24% in the BASE scenario and soil erosion loss was also lowered by 29.13%. Also, the reduction of population growth rate to half of the BASE scenario led to minor improvements in degradation. Introduction of high yielding varieties of main crops slightly increased vegetative degradation but reduced soil loss (8.35%) with respect to the BASE scenario. Such a phenomenon could be explained in terms of changed crop mix resulting in reduced amount of crop by-products requiring increased lopping of tree branches for animal fodder. The policy option of the increased use of improved energy sources along with substitution of improved breed of cows resulted in 9.58% higher income. Introduction of high yielding varieties of crops led to 1.92% increase in income, but the income decreased by 1.25 % when population growth was reduced to half. The usefulness of the model lies in analyzing the systems behavior in its entirety where the results can predict the possible direction of change as a result of manipulation in alternate economic regimes.

Effects of C60 nanoparticle exposure on earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus) and implications for population dynamics

Effects of C60 nanoparticles (nominal concentrations 0, 15.4 and 154mg/kg soil) on mortality, growth and reproduction of Lumbricus rubellus earthworms were assessed. C60 exposure had a significant effect on cocoon production, juvenile growth rate and mortality. These endpoints were used to model effects on the population level. This demonstrated reduced population growth rate with increasing C60 concentrations. Furthermore, a shift in stage structure was shown for C60 exposed populations, i.e. a larger proportion of juveniles. This result implies that the lower juvenile growth rate due to exposure to C60 resulted in a larger proportion of juveniles, despite increased mortality among juveniles. Overall, this study indicates that C60 exposure may seriously affect earthworm populations. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that juveniles were more sensitive to C60 exposure than adults.

Modeling predicts that redd trampling by cattle may contribute to population declines of native trout

Unrestricted livestock grazing can degrade aquatic ecosystems, and its effects on native vertebrate species are generally mediated by changes to physical habitat. Recently, high estimated rates of cattle trampling on artificial redds within federal grazing allotments in southwestern Montana, USA, has raised concern that direct mortality from trampling may contribute to imperilment of native westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi). To explore the implications of cattle trampling, we built two mathematical models. First we used a temperature-driven model of egg-to-fry mortality representative of the developmental stages during which embryos would be vulnerable to trampling. Cattle trampling was an additional source of mortality (beyond natural mortality), and we modeled egg-to-fry mortality across a range of trampling rates (25-125% per month) for scenarios assuming low (0.60), moderate (0.81), and high (0.95) natural mortality. We then used a matrix model to determine how trampling affected population growth (lambda), assuming initially stable (lambda = 1.008) or slow-growing populations (lambda = 1.025 and 1.05). Cattle trampling concentrated over a few days when the embryos were most sensitive caused greater egg-to-fry mortality than when the same amount of trampling occurred over one month. Trampling caused a large increase in egg-to-fry mortality when that natural mortality was low, but the overall population-level effect was far less than might have been anticipated from the rate of trampling itself. Nonetheless, small reductions in population growth rate could be biologically significant for populations with little or no demographic resilience, and trampling rates as low as 25% could lead to negative population growth. The rapid reduction in resilience with increased trampling rates (>50%) means that even growing populations are less likely to recover from periodic fluctuations. The overall risk posed by trampling will depend on whether cutthroat trout populations face concurrent threats that have already reduced their abundance and resilience. Biologists can potentially use the egg-to-fry model and thermograph data to identify dates when limiting cattle presence in or near stream habitats would likely reduce mortality from trampling. Evaluation of grazing policies on federal lands may be needed to ensure that species conservation and land use concerns are equitably balanced.

Is Anywhere Stuck in a Malthusian Trap?

SUMMARY The key features of the Malthusian model are that (i) income determines population growth, with rising wages increasing survival rates and (ii) there is a vital factor of production (land) which is fixed, implying decreased returns to scale for all other factors. The equilibrium state in such a model is a population living on subsistence incomes. The country-level analysis in this paper suggests that (i) the link between income and population growth is (almost) everywhere broken and (ii) there is little evidence of declining returns to scale because of constraints imposed by land carrying capacity anywhere. Population dynamics are being driven by non-income factors in a manner that is reducing population growth rates everywhere. At the same time, output is increasing everywhere, in a manner inconsistent with significantly declining returns to scale based on land being a vital factor of production.

Anticonceptivos en el Sur, Seguridad Nacional en el Norte

This essay presents the main arguments of the National Security Study Memorandum 200, developed in 1974 by the Office of the Secretary of State of the United States. This document, entitled Implications of Worldwide Population Growth for U.S. Security and Overseas Interests, reveals the steps in family planning that the U.S. government would take to reduce population growth rates in less developed countries, particularly those that received aid from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Though originally confidential, the NSSM 200 became public in the 1990s, and is one of the few sources that help us understand how the U.S. government interpreted demographic growth in the 1960s and 1970s, its relation to poverty in developing countries, and the national security of the U.S.

Impacts of stage-specific acute pesticide exposure on predicted population structure of the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria

A combined laboratory and modeling approach was used to assess the impact of selected pesticides on early life stages of the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria. Clams were exposed for 24h as veligers or pediveligers to the broad-spectrum herbicide hexazinone [3-cyclohexyl-6-(dimethylamino)-1-methyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4(1h,3h)-dione; Velpar®], the phenoxyacetic acid herbicide, 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; Agway® Super BK 32), or phosmet (Imidan®). In addition, juvenile clams were exposed for 24h to 2,4-D and their growth monitored for 21 months. Laboratory experiments indicated veligers were more sensitive to acute pesticide exposure than pediveligers, with 2,4-D exposed veligers exhibiting the lowest survival among all treatments. Relative to controls, juvenile clams exposed to 0.5ppm 2,4-D had enhanced survival following the initial 3 months of grow out. Juveniles exposed to 0.5, 5 and 10ppm 2,4-D showed an initial growth delay relative to control clams, but at 21 months post-exposure these clams were significantly larger than control clams. Data from the larval and juvenile exposures were used to generate a stage-specific matrix model to predict the effect of pesticide exposure on clam populations. Impacts on simulated clam populations varied with the pesticide and stage exposed. For example, 2,4-D exposure of veligers and pediveligers significantly reduced predicted recruitment as well as population growth rate compared to controls, but juvenile exposure to 2,4-D did not significantly reduce population growth rate. With the exception of veligers exposed to 10ppm, hexazinone exposure at the both veliger and pediveliger stages significantly reduced predicted recruitment success compared to 0ppm controls. Hexazinone exposure also reduced modeled population growth rates, but these reductions were only slight in the pediveliger exposure simulations. Veliger and pediveliger exposure to phosmet reduced modeled population growth rate in a dose-dependent fashion. Changes in modeled population stable stage distributions were also observed when veligers were exposed to any pesticide. These results suggest that both the stage of exposure and the specific toxicant are important in predicting effects of pesticide exposure on soft-shell clam populations, with earlier life stages showing greater sensitivity to the pesticides tested.

Assessing ethical trade‐offs in ecological field studies

Summary 1. Ecologists and conservation biologists consider many issues when designing a field study, such as the expected value of the data, the interests of the study species, the welfare of individual organisms and the cost of the project. These different issues or values often conflict; however, neither animal ethics nor environmental ethics provides practical guidance on how to assess trade‐offs between them. 2. We developed a decision framework for considering trade‐offs between values in ecological research, drawing on the field of ecological ethics. We used a case study of the population genetics of three frog species, in which a researcher must choose between four methods of sampling DNA from the study animals. We measured species welfare as the reduction in population growth rate following sampling, and assessed individual welfare using two different definitions: (i) the level of suffering experienced by an animal, and (ii) the level of suffering combined with loss of future life. 3. Tipping the tails of tadpoles ranked as the best sampling method for species welfare, while collecting whole tadpoles and buccal swabbing of adult frogs ranked best for the first and second definitions of individual welfare, respectively. Toe clipping of adult frogs ranked as the worst sampling method for species welfare and the first definition of individual welfare, and equal worst for the second definition of individual welfare. 4. When considering species and individual welfare simultaneously, toe clipping was clearly inferior to the other sampling methods, but no single sampling method was clearly superior to the other three. Buccal swabbing, collecting tadpoles and tail tipping were all preferred options, depending on the definition of individual welfare and the level of precision with which we assessed species welfare. 5. Synthesis and applications. The decision framework we present can be used by ecologists to assess ethical and other trade‐offs when planning field studies. A formal decision analysis makes transparent how a researcher might negotiate competing ethical, financial and practical objectives. Defining the components of the decision in this way can help avoid errors associated with human judgement and linguistic uncertainty.

Linking environmental and demographic data to predict future population viability of a perennial herb

Recent advances in stochastic demography provide tools to examine the importance of random and periodic variation in vital rates for population dynamics. In this study, we explore with simulations the effect of disturbance regime on population dynamics and viability. We collected 7 years of demographic data in three populations of the perennial herb Primula farinosa, and used these data to examine how variation in vital rates affected population viability parameters (stochastic growth rate, lambda(S)), and how vital rates were related to weather conditions. Elasticity analysis indicated that the stochastic growth rate was very sensitive to changes in regeneration, quantified as the production, survival, and germination of seeds. In one of the study years, all seedlings and mature plants in the demography plots died. This extinction coincided with the driest summer during the study period. Simulations suggested that a future increase in the frequency of high-mortality years due to climate change would result in reduced population growth rate, and an increased importance of survival in the seed bank for population viability. The results illustrate how the limited demographic data typically available for many natural systems can be used in simulation models to assess how environmental change will affect population viability.

Modelling the effectiveness of contraception for controlling introduced populations of elephant in South Africa

AbstractRe‐introduced African elephant (Loxodonta africana Blumenbach) populations are growing at very high rates in many of southern Africa’s reserves, have attained densities higher than previously thought possible and may be exhibiting irruptive growth. Active management of such populations is necessary to prevent the potentially negative effects on habitat and biodiversity that are associated with elephant overpopulation. One potentially feasible method of elephant management is immunocontraception, but very little is known about the long‐term effectiveness of this method. Using demographic data from three South African elephant populations, we made model projections of the effects of contraception on population growth rates to determine whether contraception may be a feasible management tool for elephant. In comparison with noncontracepted populations, realistic reductions in population growth rate after 20 years of contraception were projected to be up to c. 64%, with 50% being a very feasible target. Through its ability to reduce population growth rates, immunocontraception should be an effective tool for preventing or minimizing irruption in elephants and, perhaps, other introduced ungulate species.

Mixture effects of the nonylphenyl polyethoxylate, R-11 and the insecticide, imidacloprid on population growth rate and other parameters of the crustacean, Ceriodaphnia dubia

The toxicity of the nonylphenol polyethoxylate, R-11 and the neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid were evaluated on the crustacean, Ceriodaphnia dubia Richard. These compounds were evaluated separately and as a mixture because they are applied for pest control and may exist as a binary mixture in surface water. Acute mortality estimates (48 h) were developed followed by population-level studies after chronic exposure. LC50s and 95% CL for R-11 and imidacloprid were 9241 (8521–9842) μg/l and 2.1 (1.1–3.4) μg/l, respectively. In the population study, C. dubia were exposed to concentrations equivalent to the acute LC25 for R-11 (8090 μg/l) and imidacloprid (0.3 μg/l) separately and as a mixture for 8 d. The results of the chronic study indicated that R-11 had a greater impact on population parameters than imidacloprid and the mixture had a greater impact than either compound alone. For example, the total number of individuals at the end of the chronic study was 73%, 19%, and 6% of the control for imidacloprid, R-11, and the binary mixture, respectively. Additionally, exposure to R-11, imidacloprid, and the mixture resulted in 52%, 10%, and 91% reductions in population growth rate compared to the control, respectively. The results of this study indicate that when combined, R-11 and imidacloprid act in a more than additive manner. Therefore, it is important that their potential effects on aquatic organisms be evaluated together.

Assessment of management options forSalsola australisin south-west Australia by transition matrix modelling

Summary A matrix model of the life cycle of Salsola australis was constructed, based on population ecology data collected from the district of Lake Grace, Western Australia. The model was used to assess potential control strategies for this summer annual weed within the Western Australian broad acre grain cropping system. The population growth rate (λ) of S. australis in the absence of weed control strategies was 1.49 and was virtually unaffected by the dormant seedbank. However, λ increased to 8.21 if it was assumed that a constant number of seed immigrated into the area in question from neighbouring populations of S. australis, through farm-scale seed dispersal. As a result, effective weed management depended on reducing seed dispersal. The model determined that burning all senesced, mobile plants in late autumn, combined with herbicide control of the largest cohorts of S. australis in summer and autumn, reduced population growth rate to 0.79. This control strategy resulted in a 66.1% chance of the population becoming extinct over 25 years. Management strategies are proposed based on the results of the models and further research is required to validate their effectiveness and practicality in the field.

Contrasting Population Trends at Two Razorbill Colonies in Atlantic Canada: Additive Effects of Fox Predation and Hunting Mortality?

We developed a stochastic, stage-based, matrix-projection population model to assess population viability and estimate the impact of mortality caused by hunting, illegal and incidental to the murre (Uria sp.) hunt, and fox (Alopex lagopus) predation on Razorbill (Alca torda) populations breeding on the Gannet Islands, Labrador, the affected population, and Machias Seal Island, New Brunswick, the unaffected population. We estimated the potential population growth rate in the absence of anthropogenic mortality sources by using juvenile survival estimates from the relatively unaffected Machias Seal Island Razorbill population. We used data collected on fox predation on the Gannet Islands from 1978–2009 to estimate the change in productivity as a result of fox presence. The intrinsic growth rate (l) of the stochastic matrix based on vital rates from the Gannet Islands was 0.957±0.008 and 1.058±0.005 for Machias Seal Island. Hunting mortality reduced the predicted Gannet Islands population growth rate by 0.033, while fox predation reduced population growth rate by 0.017. These sources combined reduced the baseline population growth rate by 0.050. According to our model, the Razorbill population on Machias Seal Island appears to be growing rapidly. In contrast, the Gannet Islands population may decline, likely because of hunting. However, oceanographic differences between the two areas and uncertainty regarding dispersal behavior in this species may also contribute to the disparity between populations. Based on our findings, we make several recommendations for the conservation and management of Razorbills in Atlantic Canada.

The demographic impact of extreme events: stochastic weather drives survival and population dynamics in a long‐lived seabird

1. Most scenarios for future climate change predict increased variability and thus increased frequency of extreme weather events. To predict impacts of climate change on wild populations, we need to understand whether this translates into increased variability in demographic parameters, which would lead to reduced population growth rates even without a change in mean parameter values. This requires robust estimates of temporal process variance, for example in survival, and identification of weather covariates linked to interannual variability. 2. The European shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis (L.) shows unusually large variability in population size, and large-scale mortality events have been linked to winter gales. We estimated first-year, second-year and adult survival based on 43 years of ringing and dead recovery data from the Isle of May, Scotland, using recent methods to quantify temporal process variance and identify aspects of winter weather linked to survival. 3. Survival was highly variable for all age groups, and for second-year and adult birds process variance declined strongly when the most extreme year was excluded. Survival in these age groups was low in winters with strong onshore winds and high rainfall. Variation in first-year survival was not related to winter weather, and process variance, although high, was less affected by extreme years. A stochastic population model showed that increasing process variance in survival would lead to reduced population growth rate and increasing probability of extinction. 4. As in other cormorants, shag plumage is only partially waterproof, presumably an adaptation to highly efficient underwater foraging. We speculate that this adaptation may make individuals vulnerable to rough winter weather, leading to boom-and-bust dynamics, where rapid population growth under favourable conditions allows recovery from periodic large-scale weather-related mortality. 5. Given that extreme weather events are predicted to become more frequent, species such as shags that are vulnerable to such events are likely to exhibit stronger reductions in population growth than would be expected from changes in mean climate. Vulnerability to extreme events thus needs to be accounted for when predicting the ecological impacts of climate change.

General guidelines for invasive plant management based on comparative demography of invasive and native plant populations

Summary 1. General guidelines for invasive plant management are currently lacking. Population declines may be achieved by focusing control on demographic processes (survival, growth, fecundity) with the greatest impact on population growth rate. However, we often have little demographic information on populations in the early stages of an invasion when control can be most effective. Here we determine whether synthesis of existing demographic data on invasive and native plant populations can address this knowledge problem. 2. We compared population dynamics between invasive and native species using published matrix population models for 21 invasive and 179 native plant species. We examined whether the population growth rate responsiveness to survival, growth and fecundity perturbations varied between invasive and native species, and determined which demographic processes of invaders to target for reductions in population growth rate. 3. Invaders had higher population growth rates ( λ ) than natives, resulting in differences in demographic processes. Perturbations of growth and fecundity transitions (elasticities) were more important for population growth of invaders, whereas perturbations of survival had greater importance for population growth of natives. 4. For both invasive and native species, elasticities of λ to survival increased with life span and decreased with λ ; while elasticities to growth and fecundity decreased with life span and increased with λ . 5. For long-lived invaders, simulated reductions in either survival, growth or fecundity transitions were generally insufficient to produce population declines, whereas multiple reductions in either survival + growth or survival + fecundity were more effective. For short-lived invaders, simulated reductions in growth or fecundity and all pairwise multiple reductions produced population declines. 6. Synthesis and applications . Life history and population growth rate of invasive species are important in the selection of control targets. For rapidly growing populations of short-lived invaders, growth and fecundity transitions should be prioritized as control targets over survival transitions. For long-lived invaders, simultaneous reductions in more than one demographic process, preferably survival and growth, are usually required to ensure population decline. These general guidelines can be applied to rapidly growing new plant invasions and at the invasion front where detailed demographic data on invasive species are lacking.

Biomonitoring of cyanotoxins in two tropical reservoirs by cladoceran toxicity bioassays

This study evaluates the potential for the use of cladocerans in biomonitoring of cyanobacterial toxins. Two zooplankton species ( Daphnia gessneri and Moina micrura) were cultivated in the laboratory for use in acute (48 h) and chronic (10 days) bioassays. Water samples were collected from two reservoirs and diluted in mineral water at four concentrations. Survivorship in the acute bioassays was used to calculate LC 50, and survivorship and fecundity in chronic bioassays were used to calculate the intrinsic population growth rate ( r) and the EC 50. Analysis of phytoplankton in the water samples from one reservoir revealed that cyanobacteria were the dominant group, represented by the genera Anabaena, Cylindrospermopsis, and Microcystis. Results of bioassays showed adverse effects including death, paralysis, and reduced population growth rate, generally proportional to the reservoir water concentration. These effects may be related to the presence of cyanobacteria toxins (microcystins or saxitoxins) in the water.

Hakea sericea: Development of a model of the impacts of biological control on population dynamics and rates of spread of an invasive species

This paper reports on the development and testing of a simulation model to assess the impacts of two seed-feeding biological control agents on the dispersal of an invasive perennial tree, Hakea sericea (Proteaceae), which was introduced into South Africa from Australia during the 1850s. The agents are known to reduce seed banks at the individual plant level but the population-level effects are not well understood. The aim of the study was to estimate the extent to which the biological control has reduced the population growth and rate of spread of this species. H. sericea is a serotinous species which releases its wind-dispersed seeds en masse when the parent plants are killed, usually by fire. Field data were used to develop functions describing the fecundity of the plants and the impacts of the biological control agents as well as seedling recruitment rates and density dependent mortality. A group of ‘experts’ provided estimates of the cumulative proportion of seeds that would disperse over distances from 50 to 1000 m following a fire. The estimates were used to fit various long-range dispersal functions. The Weibull distribution gave the overall best fit and was used to generate parameter sets from each expert's estimates of dispersal. Simulations were then run using a reasonable range of fire intervals and dispersal parameters for the two experts whose estimates represented the minimum and maximum dispersal distances. Biological control agents have reduced the seed loads on H. sericea plants by more than 95%. This, in turn, reduced population growth rates, maximum seed dispersal distances and the formation of new invasion foci. Population growth rates and spread rates were positively correlated because greater dispersal distances resulted in lower densities and, thus, lower levels of density dependent mortality. Numerous previous studies have found that biological control can limit population growth rates of invasive plants, but this is one of the few to have estimated the impacts on the invasion rates and to use an individual-based modelling approach to estimate population-level effects.

EVALUATING EMPLOYMENT POLICY PROGRAMS TO ALLEVIATE THE UNEMPLOYMENT: CASE STUDY OF EGYPT (In Arabic)

EVALUATING EMPLOYMENT POLICY PROGRAMS TO ALLEVIATE THE UNEMPLOYMENT: CASE STUDY OF EGYPT (In Arabic)

Effects of Transgenic Rice on Life History Traits of Daphnia magna in Life Table Experiments

To investigate the impacts of transgenic rice on freshwater organisms, we conducted two life table experiments using Daphnia magna for fifteen and twenty days, respectively. We examined life history traits such as population growth rates (r), reproductive rates (<TEX>$R_0$</TEX>), generation times, and survivorship. In the first experiment, we used non-drought-stressed transgenic and non-transgenic rice harvested in 2005. In the second study, we used non-transgenic and transgenic rice harvested in 2006 following drought stress. Each experiment involved three treatments in which D. magna neonates were fed with Selenastrum capricornutum (control treatment) and S. capricornutum with 5% aqueous extracts of non-transgenic rice (N-T) and transgenic rice (T). In the first experiment, D. magna showed reduced population growth rates and lowered fecundity in the N-T and T treatments. In the second experiment, D. magna receiving both transgenic and non-transgenic rice extracts showed very high mortality, low population growth rates and reproduction rates. We could not detect any significant negative effects of extracts from transgenic rice on D. magna life history traits at 95%.