Journal article
Understanding the population consequences of disturbance
Ecology and evolution, Vol.8(19), pp.9934-9946
10/2018
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/105670
PMCID: PMC6202709
PMID: 30386587
Abstract
Managing the nonlethal effects of disturbance on wildlife populations has been a long‐term goal for decision makers, managers, and ecologists, and assessment of these effects is currently required by European Union and United States legislation. However, robust assessment of these effects is challenging. The management of human activities that have nonlethal effects on wildlife is a specific example of a fundamental ecological problem: how to understand the population‐level consequences of changes in the behavior or physiology of individual animals that are caused by external stressors. In this study, we review recent applications of a conceptual framework for assessing and predicting these consequences for marine mammal populations. We explore the range of models that can be used to formalize the approach and we identify critical research gaps. We also provide a decision tree that can be used to select the most appropriate model structure given the available data. Synthesis and applications: The implementation of this framework has moved the focus of discussion of the management of nonlethal disturbances on marine mammal populations away from a rhetorical debate about defining negligible impact and toward a quantitative understanding of long‐term population‐level effects. Here we demonstrate the framework's general applicability to other marine and terrestrial systems and show how it can support integrated modeling of the proximate and ultimate mechanisms that regulate trait‐mediated, indirect interactions in ecological communities, that is, the nonconsumptive effects of a predator or stressor on a species' behavior, physiology, or life history.
Managing nonlethal effects of disturbance on wildlife is a major objective for modern conservation. We review applications of a conceptual framework for predicting the population consequences of physiological and behavioral changes, and demonstrate its general applicability. We identify critical research gaps and provide guidance to select an appropriate model structure.
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Details
- Title
- Understanding the population consequences of disturbance
- Creators
- Enrico Pirotta - University College CorkCormac G Booth - New Technology CentreDaniel P Costa - University of CaliforniaErica Fleishman - Colorado State UniversityScott D Kraus - New England AquariumDavid Lusseau - University of AberdeenDavid Moretti - Naval Undersea Warfare CenterLeslie F New - Washington State UniversityRobert S Schick - University of St AndrewsLisa K Schwarz - University of CaliforniaSamantha E Simmons - Marine Mammal CommissionLen Thomas - University of St AndrewsPeter L Tyack - University of St AndrewsMichael J Weise - Marine Mammal & Biology ProgramRandall S Wells - c/o Mote Marine LaboratoryJohn Harwood - University of St Andrews
- Publication Details
- Ecology and evolution, Vol.8(19), pp.9934-9946
- Academic Unit
- Mathematics and Statistics, Department of
- Number of pages
- 13
- Grant note
- Scottish Funding Council (HR09011) E& &P Sound and Marine Life Joint Industry Project of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland Office of Naval Research (N00014‐09‐1‐0896; N00014‐12‐1‐0274; N00014‐15‐1‐2553; N00014‐16‐1‐2858)
- Identifiers
- 99900547071601842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article