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Overcompensation and population cycles in an ungulate

Nature volume 355, pages 823–826 (1992)Cite this article

Abstract

ALTHOUGH theoretical studies show that overcompensatory density-dependent mechanisms can potentially generate regular or chaotic fluctuations in animal numbers, the majority of realistic single-species models of invertebrate populations are not overcompensatory enough to cause sustained population cycles1–3. The possibility that Overcompensation may generate cycles or chaos in vertebrate populations has seldom been considered. Here we show that highly overcompensating density-dependent mortality can generate recurrent population crashes consistent with those observed in a naturally limited population of Soay sheep. The observed interval of three or more years between crashes points to sharp 'focusing' of mortality over a narrow range of population density.

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Author notes

  1. S. D. Albon

    Present address: Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW14RY, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoology Department, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK

    B. T. Grenfell, O. F. Price, S. D. Albon & T. H. Glutton-Brock

Authors
  1. B. T. Grenfell
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  2. O. F. Price
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  3. S. D. Albon
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  4. T. H. Glutton-Brock
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Grenfell, B., Price, O., Albon, S. et al. Overcompensation and population cycles in an ungulate. Nature 355, 823–826 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/355823a0

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