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Chapter 9: Problem 4

How can the value of net reproductive rate for a population \(\left(R_{0}\right)\) be used to assess whether a population is increasing or declining?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: The net reproductive rate (R0) is the average number of female offspring that each female in a population is expected to produce in her lifetime. It helps determine whether a population is increasing, decreasing, or stable by calculating the sum of age-specific survival rates multiplied by fecundity rates. If R0 > 1, the population is increasing; if R0 < 1, the population is declining; and if R0 = 1, the population is stable. This information can be used for implementing conservation or management measures.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Net Reproductive Rate (R0)

Net reproductive rate, denoted as \(R_0\), is the average number of female offspring that each female in a population is expected to produce in her lifetime. It's a crucial quantity in population ecology and helps in assessing whether the population is increasing, decreasing, or stable.
02

Calculation of R0

To calculate \(R_0\), we need to know the age-specific fecundity rates and the survival rates for females in the population. R0 can be calculated using the following formula: $$R_0=\sum_{x=0}^{\infty}(l_x \times m_x)$$ Where: - \(l_x\) denotes the probability of surviving from birth to age \(x\). - \(m_x\) denotes the average number of female offspring produced by an individual of age \(x\).
03

Interpretation of R0

The value of \(R_0\) helps us determine whether a population is increasing, decreasing, or stable. 1. If \(R_0\) > 1, the population is increasing as each female, on average, is producing more than one female offspring in her lifetime. 2. If \(R_0\) < 1, the population is declining as each female, on average, is producing less than one female offspring in her lifetime. 3. If \(R_0\) = 1, the population is stable, implying that each female, on average, is producing exactly one female offspring in her lifetime. By calculating and analyzing the net reproductive rate (\(R_0\)), we can assess whether a population is increasing or declining and implement necessary conservation or management measures accordingly.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

How is the finite growth multiplier ( \(\lambda\) ) calculated from the population projection table?

What environmental factors might result in random yearly variations in the rates of survival and birth within a population?

Identify two factors that could possibly cause a population to decline to extinction. How might these factors be influenced by population size?

To use a life table to project population growth, what assumption must be made regarding the age-specific rates of survival \(\left(s_{x}\right) ?\)

How can the finite growth multiplier be used to predict future values of population density, \(N(t) ?\)
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